HIGHWAYS PROBLEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20116, 29 November 1928, Page 17

HIGHWAYS PROBLEMS.

THAMES VALLEY DISTRICTS. MANY REQUESTS TO BOARD. [BY TELEGBArH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] THAMES. Wednesday. Among the matters of district importance discussed by the Thames \ alley local bodies with the Main Highways Board was a request- from Mr. H. M. Corbett for tho raising of the road between Tirohia and Mangaiti where the railway was badly flooded in the early part of this year. After asking for a stretch of 44 chains of loading linking tho Thames and Auckland highways to be declared a main highway, tho Mayor of I'aeroa, Mr. W. Marshall, asked if the board would make a speci.il arrangement for assisting the payment of the cost of loans raised before it assumed office.

Replying to this request Mr. C. J. McKenzie, acting-chairman of the board, said similar requests were being received from all parts of the Dominion. He could definitely say that tho board could not niako retrospective payments of the nature suggested. Ho promised consideration of a further request for tho classification of borough highways in the second schedule limited to eight-ton vehicles. Tho board to-day promised consideration of requests from Thames motorists, which included prevention of the serious flooding of the main highway between Auckland and Thames through the periodical overflow of the Maungatawhiri and Mangatangi streams, the urgent need of tho immediate erection of a traffic bridge over the I'iako River at Pipiroa in the Hauraki Plains, steps to prevent the serious flooding of the main highway between Thames and Paeroa by tho periodical overflow of the Kirikiri stream, the necessity for the early completion of the metalling of the road between Tapu and Whitianga.

ROADS AT COROMANDEL. MAINTENANCE AND CONTROL. [RY TELEGItAPII.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] COROMANDEL, Wednesday. Tho members of tho Main Highways Hoard visited Coromandel yesterday and held an informal meeting with tho chairman and members of the Coromandel County Council. A deputation from Whitianga discussed a proposal in connection with the projected new wharf there, which will first l.e considered by the Public Works engineers, and a reply forwarded. The chief item of discussion was the council's urgent need of increased monei ,uy assistance in putting the CoromandelWhitianga Road into a good workable condition, which is estimated to cost £3OOO. Tho claims of the Coromandel-Colville-Port Charles Road, to be declared a main highway, were also emphasised. The chairman of the council, Mr. 8. James urged an mcreaso of the board's subsidy to £3 for £1 for expenditure on that part of the Thames Coast Road within Coromandel County.

A very sympathetic hearing was accorded tho council. Mr. McKenzie and tho others of the party said they fully realised tho urgent main roading needs of tho county, and promised careful consideration with them. The party left this morning for Tauranga.