EAST COAST ROAD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23218, 12 December 1938, Page 14

EAST COAST ROAD

ROUTE THBOTJGH BAYS

PROPOSED ABANDONMENT - OBJECTION BY RATEPAYERS COUNCIL SCHEME DISAPPROVED Strong protest against the Waitemata County Council's decision to abandon its existing loan proposals to modernise Beach Road and its further decision to support a scheme for the tar-sealing of the East Coast back road was voiced at a meeting of the executives of the Brown's Bay. Mairangi Bay, Campbell's Bay and Castor Bay progressive and ratepayers' associations held in the Brown's Bay ball. Also present were ratepayers from Murray's Bay and Torbay. A sealed" road through Auckland's East Coast bays from Milford Beach to Long Bay was a great necessity, said tho chairman, Mr. E. Nyberg, who fully outlined the position. In the first place tho Waitemata County Council adopted a loan proposal to modernise Beach Road at 'an estimated cost of £'48,000, but so much time had been allowed to elapse since tho preparation of that estimato that the amount had now been found inadequate. The Alternative Scheme The county engineer, Mr. R. MPage, continued tho chairman, then prepared a report for the council in which ho stated that in spite of written promises from various Ministers there seemed no possibility of sufficient money being made available to warrant tho commencement of the workij Because of this lack of finance, in addition to other reasons, tho engineer suggested that the council consider an alternative proposal, that of reconstructing tho East Coast back road to-.modern standards and providing "feeder" roads to the various bays. After considering the report the council decided to abandon its existing loan proposals and to support the engineer's scheme. Beach Road Favoured The president of the Campbell's Bay Progressive Association, ,Mr. Y. Clay, proposed a resolution that the meeting advise tho council that it was strongly in favour of the construction of the Beach Road through the bays as a highway, in accordance with the loan proposal sanctioned by the ratepayers of the Takapuna riding at a poll early in the year. This resolution added that the meeting was definitely opposed to the reported proposal by tho council to abandon the Beach Road scheme and to/substitute. aJschenie asking the ratepayers to~ approve of-the-East Coast back' road as" a highway. The resolution requested the council to reconsider its decision and to proceed 'with the original proposal, even if it meant asking the' ratepayers to approve of an additional loah allocation. . It was decided to send copies of the resolution, which was carried unanimously, to the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple,. the Local Government 'Loans Board, the member Mr. W: X Lyon,; and chtaifman of the Waitemata County iCermcil. • , .. 'lf no .satisfaction could be obtained through, tills course it was decided to appoint representatives from each bay, •"with flip. Nyberg as convener, to interIvieW 1 the ■ riding v , member and also, if ..thought necessary, tjo call a further .meeting/of ratepayers. ,