MAIN HIGHWAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22025, 4 February 1935, Page 12

MAIN HIGHWAYS

TOUR BY THE BOARD VISIT TO PUKEKOH E FRANKLIN COUNTY REQUESTS • [from our own correspondent] PUKEKOHE, Saturday The declaration of additional lengths of rond in the Franklin County as main highways was requested by the chairman of the County Council, Mr. J. N. Massey, M.P.. and other members at a conference with the Main Highways Board at Pukekohe to-day. The roads asked for were between Kohekohe and Aw'nitu Central. Awhitu and Waiuku and Hunua and Bombay. It was also advisable to consider the putting down of many miles in bitumen, which was most urgently needed on the road between Pokeno and Waitakaruru, a distance of 12J mile's. Mr. J. Henry pointed out that Mr. Massey had omitted the road to Clark's Beach. Wniau Pa. The beach was becoming a favourite seaside resort and there was incessant traffic, on the road. Mcssks. H. .Wilcox and H. J. Flay drew attention to the road between Pukekohe and Bombay. Mr. Wilcox said it cost the county £IOOO a year to maintain the four miles, and the present traffic on it, owing to its being used as a deviation from the main south road, was abnormally heavy. In reply to Mr. Massey's'request that I the figures of the traffic tallies taken recently and six months ago shftuld be supplied to the council, Mr. C. Kenzie, chairman of the board, said he would havo them made available. Tho board's purpose was to draw up a map of New Zealand which denoted' tho amount of traffic on various roads. Mr. M. H. Wynyard said the board had heard many requests for favourable treatment. Franklin had already been treated very fairly and had perhaps more than its share of roads declared main highways. BRIDGES IN RODNEY URGENT REPAIRS NEEDED [from our owx correspondent] WHAKATANE, Saturday Requests for improvements to various roads and bridges in the Rodney district were made by members of the Rodney County Council at a conference with members of tho Main Highways Board in Warkworth yesterday. Mr. W. K. Becroft, chairman of tho council, presided. It wjis stated that there were 13 bridges in the county in urgent need of repair, while about 30 others would not last more than five years. The chairman of the board, Mr. C. J. McKenzie, intimated the board's intention to concentrate largely on bridge repairs and renewals. Other subjects discussed were the construction of the Makarau Bridge, at the boundary of tho Rodney and Waitemata Counties, the desirability of a reduction in the council's contribution toward the cost of the No. 1 Main Highway in order that more could be done in improving access for settlers and the elimination of a railway levelcrossing and the removal of willows from a stream at Hoteo. The Town Board, in a deputation to the Main Highways Board, asked for attention to be given to that portion of the Main North Road passing through the town. It was stated that the bridge over the Mahurangi River in the centre of the town was now obsolete.

Mr. McKenzie said his board would endeavour to. assist the Town Board as soon as possible. It recognised that the cartage of metal to the highway further north resulted in heavier traffic than normal.