EAST COAST ROUTE

Northern Advocate, 14 June 1935, Page 6

EAST COAST ROUTE

RESPONSIBILITY DISPUTED. NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE. REPAIR OF FLOOD DAMAGE. The hold-up of repair work on the Waipu Gove-Mangawai road, which has been impassable since the storm in -February, was referred to at the meeting of the Whangarei County Council today, Further correspondence between the council, the Minister of Public Works, and Mr A. J. Murdoch, M.P., concerning responsibility for the cost, was read/, w . - . ■ The clerk reported that Mr lylurdoch was still actively negotiating with the Minister, and; that the settlers were adding weight to the representations. Considering that the matter had been unduly delayed, the Whangarei Chamber of Commerce, in a letter, urged that, in the interests of the district, the council should make a special effort to have repairs completed at an early date, ' Cr. A. J. McKay: “It is impossible for the County to undertake the work, and the Waipu Riding cannot accept the offer made.” “The road is not an isolated case,” said the chairman. “It has come more to the notice of the public, but the question of flood damage extends throughout the whole County. Last week I went over two roads in Mangapai Riding which will disappear as the metal is carried away by the storm water unless the slips are removed. Here again, the riding is not in- a position to undertake the necesskry work. The road is used by a great deal of through traffic from Hobson County. - Until the Government recognises that it has to provide roads for those who- contribute the finances for the purpose, the roads will continue to deteriorate, and assets disappear as they are'doing now.” Crs. J. Morrison and A, Clarke spoke on similar lines. The latter was of opinion that at least a portion of the charge for repairing flood damage should be borne by the benzine taxation. It was decided to furnish the Chamber of Commerce with information as to negotiations carried out in reference to the road.