Whakapirau Road Deemed Unsafe For School Bus

Northern Advocate, 20 November 1941, Page 4

Whakapirau Road Deemed Unsafe For School Bus

The dangerous state of Huia Road, in the Whakapirau riding, Otamatea County, was discussed by the council in Paparoa yesterday. A petition signed by 53 settlers was read by the clerk (Mr E. G. Aickin), in which the petitioners asked the Minister for Public Works for a grant amounting to £729 to make the road safe. Due to the bad state of the road the school bus service had to be withdrawn, and the education of the children in that district had been interfered with. A jew weeks ago an accident involving .the . Maungaturoto school bus had occurred on the road and, as a result, the bus has been taken off the road by the committee. Made For Horse Traffic In addition to the petition from the settlers, letters concerning the r oad were read from the Maungaturoto Dairy Company and several businessmen of the township. ‘•The road was never built for a school bus," said Cr. L. Ramsbottom (Whakapirau), in asking for support for the application of a grant of £BOO to put the road in order. “It was made for horse-drawn vehicles and is now definitely not up to the standard required for a school bus.” Mr Thomason, of the Public Works Department, expressed the opinion that the road was definitely not safe for school buses. The engineer (Mr R. J. Bail) said that the cost of widening, clearing and culverting would be approximately £729. Support For Representatives After a short discussion, the council decided to support the settlers'petition to the Minister for a grant end t" d" U 1 in its power to expedite the obtaining of a grant. On the suggestion of Cr. Ramsbottom, the council also decided to approach the Minister for Education in connection with the matter, and to enlist his support in repairing the road.