MR. COATES AT WHANGAREI

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18357, 24 March 1923, Page 10

MR. COATES AT WHANGAREI

IMPORTANT ROAD WORKS.

[by tbxeobath.— COKBESPONDENT. ] WHANGAREI. Friday. The Minister for Public Works, the Hon. G. J. Coates, was escorted this morning over the newly-formed county road, Whangarei to Onerahi, observing; en route the work of harbour reclamation accomplished by the Harbour Board in assisting the council to construct a tidal flat road across an inlet of the harbour. Later in the morning he visited the High School building and saw the new area acquired for High School extension. In the afternoon he motored to Pakatai with the county chairman and engineer in order to inspect the work proceeding on the Mangakahia Valley Road, the main central north road to Matakche. This road was the subject of a deputation asking for permission to proceed in anticipation of a subsidy due. The county bad spent £26.000 on the road, and had oniyreceived £1000 as subsidy. Another £1000 had been promised on April 1, which could make only £2000 out of £5000 assured. The county was now contemplating having to suspend the work and remove the plant if it could not anticipate the balance of the subsidy. After inspection to-day, Mr. Coates assumed Mr. W. Jones, chairman of the council, that be was very favourably impressed with the construction work he» had seen, both on the Mangakahia Valley Road and tho Weke Valley Road, between Whangarei and Dargavulo, and when he returned to Wellington he would see If it were possible to assist the county as desired. * The Ministerial party returned to Dargavillo this evening.