THOMPSON'S TRACK BETWEEN TAURANGA AND WAIKATO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9493, 24 April 1894, Page 6

THOMPSON'S TRACK BETWEEN TA URANGA AND WAIKATO.

[FROM OURfWN CORRESPONDENT.] . :v » ''■ Te Aroha, Monday. The matter of making Thompson's track into a coach road to Tauranga and Katikati is still undecided, and the deadlock is a most serious thing to the settlers of this part of the provinoe, to whom the road is of the greatest importance. For years past great interest has been taken in the matter on both sides of the bills, those on the Tauranga side feeling the desirability of being within 40 miles of railway communication with Auckland, and those on this side knowing what advantages would arise from the large traffic from Tauranga and the East Coast. Several meetings were held, and the Tauranga and Piako County Councils were unanimous in the desire to do their utmost to get the work done. The Government was then appealed to, and generously came to the aid of thy Councils by promising to put the sum of £2000 upon the Estimates, provided that each of the Councils interested would vote the sum of £500 towards the cost. The cost of the road was estimated at £3000, and not £2000, as erroneously stated by the (Premier at Tauranga three weeks ago. The Hon. Mr. Cadman, during the late election campaign, repeatedly promised to do his best to see that the money was granted and the work pushed on. But here arose the difficulty which has been the cause of the present stoppage. Both of the Councils agreed to contribute £500 towards the work, but the Piako Council added the condition that the work should be undertaken and carried out by the Government. This the Government decline to do, hence the deadlock. Most people here blame the Piako Council for imposing this condition, as they feel sure that, supposing the cost of the road should exceed the £3000 (which is not at all likely), the Government mi'tht then be appealed to for further aid, and without doubt, considering the importance of the work, that appeal would not be in vain. A petition is being signed praying the Council to withdraw the condition named so that the work may be commenced. It is greatly to be hoped that the prayer .of the petitioners may be favourably considered by the County Council at its next meeting, and that they may show by their decision their desire to serve the interests of the many, and not of the few, by opening up a road of great advantage to a large number of settlers on both sides of the range. Then many see no reason why the Government should not carry out the work on the co-operative principle, and thus give a good practical object lesson of the advantage of that system when applied to road-making as well as to railway construction. Seeing that the Government made such a strong point of this road at the election time, it will be a great blow to their supporters if they allow this condition to make them hesitate in undertaking the work. (In the meantime the position of affairs is bringing no credit either upon the Government or the Council. If the matter had been in the hands of the neighbouring Council of Ohinemuri the work would have been well in hand by this time. The latter Council is doing an immense amount of road improving at the present time on the Thames-Paeroa, PaeroaWarhi, and Te Aroha-Paeroa Roads, which deserves the hearty approval of the travelling public. Last winter the roads got into a frightful state, and were almost impassable, but during the summer a good deal of re-form-ing has been done, water-tables cleared, and culverts re-laid ; and now a large number of men are employed breaking stones for the soft parts of the road. By the time winter sets in, it is expected that the whole of the road from the Thames to Paeroa, and a good portion of the road between here and Paeroa will be metalled.

A largely-attended and influential meeting of ratepayers was held' in the Town Hall on Saturday evening, to consider the question of the making of Thompson's Track into a coach road, connecting Tauranga with Te Aroha. The meeting was called by the chairman of the Town Board, in response to a requisition signed by 48 of the ratepayers in the Te Aroha Riding of the Piako County Council, and all the members of the Board were present. The chairman, Mr. J. Mills, explained the object of the meeting, and gave a clear account of the present position with regard to the matter. He also stated that in reply to a letter from himself, Mr. Cadman had wired on Thursday last to say that the vote of £2000 was still available. £1,500 had already been spent upon _ the track, which would of course be entirely thrown away if the road was not gone on with. He (Mr. Mills) thought the tact that the road would benefit such a large number of the county ratepayers should weigh with the Council at its meeting on Wednesday next. After some discussion, Mr. E. Gallagher moved, and Mr. J. Bew seconded a resolution asking the Piako Council to consider the advisability of rescinding their resolution requiring the Government to guarantee the completion of the work of forming Thompson's track. The resolution was carried unanimously. It was then resolved, on the motion of Mr. Parr, seconded by Mr. Hawkins, " That the petition prepared praying the Council to withdraw the condition beforenamed should be adopted by the meeting, signed by those present, and given to Mr. Gavin, the Te Aroha representative on the Council, to present at the meeting on Wednesday." This also was carried unanimously. The chairman was then authorised to forward the resolution of the meeting to the Council. The meeting, which was most enthusiastic throughout, closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman and the members of the Town Board for convening it.