OUTLET FOR WHITFORD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19456, 12 October 1926, Page 6

OUTLET FOR WHITFORD.

Sir, —In reply to Mr. R. T. Brightfield's letter in the Heuald, of October 5, I \vir,h to point out that the old Whitford-East Tamaki road which he recommends is out of the question as an outlet for this district as it has already been shown it is impossible to obtain a better grade than 1 in 10 along that route, and with sharp and dangerous bonds. Mr. Brightfield is doubtless aware that the farmers of Whitford and Maraetai are practically unanimous in supporting the Beach Road outlet. The road by the Beach Road outlet would 'be the shortest road from Whitford to a railway station (Panmure), and shortest to Auckland. Our market for our wool, fruit, eggs and poultry is at Auckland. For our butter-fat Auckland, Mount Eden and East Tamaki. The lorries that pick up the Whitfprd cream go on to the road that leads to the proposed Beach Road outlet and have to go back to the top of the hill and down the Maungarna Gorge, whereas it would be easier for them to cross the Maungaroa at the month of the creek if there was a bridge there, especially so in the case of the East Tamaki Company's lorry as it carries cream from Howick and Pakuranga as -well as from Whitford. Mr. Brightfield ought to know that the of Whitford and Maraetai are not struggling under the bnrden of rates so much as they are under the btirden of surplus land. The majority of the farmers in these districts are hoiding more land than they can make use of "and are losing the interest on the capital value of this unimproved land, and are, of course, paying rates on it. Going from Howick to Beachlands there are hundreds and hundreds of acres of unimproved land suitable for dairying and all kinds of farming, and within 25 miles of the city of Auckland. Unfortunately at present there is not much demand for this unimproved land, because those in search of land refuse to settle in a district which has for its only outlet the dangerous road through the Maungaroa Gorge. Closer settlement is the only solution for the roading troubles of these districts. When the proposed Beach Road outlet is completed closer settlement will begin, there will be buyers for all the surplus land which the present owners are not making use of, because then these hundreds of acres will be accessible to the city of Auckland by a good and safe road with an easy grade. There is room for ten times the number of farmers there are in the district at present, and the sooner the Beach Road outlet is completed the quicker will the population and prosperity of the district increase. I. C. Morketelds.