THE WHANGAPE ROAD.

Northland Age, Volume 19, Issue 31, 3 November 1921, Page 5

THE WHANGAPE ROAD.

A meeting of suppliers of the Herekino Dairy Co. was held on Thursday, 27th October, for the purpose of discussing Mr. Allen Bell’s suggestion that the Company should donate £IOO towards the food fund which is being provided to carry out the construction of the Whangape Road by native labour.

Mr. Leo. Lecoustre, Chairman of Directors, presided, and in his opening remarks said that for thirty-four years the people had wanted the road to the port opened up, and the scheme put forward by Mr. Bell gave them their opportunity. This opportunity they must not let slip, more especially as the deputation which waited upon the Council found that that body was in sympathy with them. The quality of the Whangape cream was poor owing to the long delay in transit which would be obviated by the construction of the road ; it would also save them the heavy cost of cartage on their goods from Awanui.

Mr. W. Vickers said that, independent of the Dairy Factory, the project would be a great boon to the whole district. Cartage from Awanui had cost them as much as £lO per ton, and this was crippling their district. It was up to everybody to help such a splendid proposal. Mr. Andrew McMath strongly supported the scheme. The cream from Whangape was now 36 hours in transit, and this could be reduced to three hours if the road to Whangape was constructed. Mr. Bell also urged the suppliers to support the scheme. While the people were compelled to pay the heavy cost of cartage from Awanui, their fine district could not possibly progress. Nature had provided a useful port at their very doors, yet because a few miles of road was left unconstructed it could not be made use of. There was no other parallel case in New Zealand where they had failed to make use of their port, and carted their goods twenty-three miles instead of nine. The soundings taken some years ago showed a minimum depth of water at the W hangape entrance of 18 feet at low water spring tide, and he had already asked the Marine Department to have the harbour properly surveyed, charted, and gazetted. The £IOO which the suppliers were asked to contribute would be a mere bagatelle compared with the enormous advantage of having their port opened, and when this was done the district would progress at a pace which they did not dream of at the present time. The port would serve some 80,000 acres of land; of this about 11,000 acres was owned by natives.

Mr. Leo. Lecoustre explained that the contribution only amounted to an average of 30/- per supplier. When the natives were willing to do the work free, surely it was up to the pakeha to help in the manner suggested. A ballot was taken and resulted in the proposal to donate £IOO being carried by 36 votes to 2, amidst applause. In thanking the suppliers for their splendid vote, Mr. Bell said that after going into the financial position more fully, he found that the small amount of revenue available for the expenditure in the Herekino Riding would not warrant the Council in taking up the full £250 £ for £ grant. With the amount contributed by the Dairy Co., Mr. Vickers, Mr. Butt and himself, they would now have £135 in hand in cash, and he suggested that this be paid over to the Council to take up portion of the grant, leaving only £lls to be found by the Council.—At a meeting of directors, held subsequently, this was agreed to. At the conclusion of the meeting Mr. Bell was heartily thanked for the valuable assistance which he was rendering to the district, and for his handsome donation of £2O towards the food fund.