A BEACH ROAD CLOSED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18889, 11 December 1924, Page 12

A BEACH ROAD CLOSED.

RESORT AT DARGAVILLE.

GENERAL PUBLIC CUT OFF.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

DARGAVILLE, Wednesday.

Owing to the thoughtlessness of a number of people the residents of Dargaville and the surrounding district are in danger of losing access to the popular seaside resort at Bayley's and Chase's Gorges. Some years ago the owner of the property facing the sea coast at this spot ga've a strip of land for a road free of cost, the only condition imposed being that the road "line be properly fenced. This offer was not accepted by the local authority, but later 'on a number of people acquired from the owner of the land a number of sections on lease, and at the present time there must be fully 100 sea'Uda cottages iu the two gorges. These leaseholders were given tiv privilege of getting to the beach through the property on certain conditions, and ns time went on the general public also made use of the road, and in summer time some, thousands of people from all over the district have been making use of it. Recently people have been causing considerable annoyance to the owner of the .property by leaving gstes open, letting stock out," and travelling over the property at places ether than those laid down in the agreement with the leaseholders. Things have become so bad that the owner has now closed the road to all but the leaseholders.

A meeting las evening unanimously resolved to form a deputation to wait upon the Hobson County Council and the Dargaville Borough Council, to urge upon them the necessity of taking the road over and making it public. It is hoped that some satisfactory arrargement ivil! be come to so that access can be obtained to the beach this season.

It is generally conceded that the owner of the property has been quite, justified in taking up the position he has done.