PORT CHALMERS ROAD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20433, 13 June 1928, Page 7

PORT CHALMERS ROAD.

COMPLAINTS FROM LOWER HARBOUR. DEPUT ATTON WAITS OX MOTOE CLUB. For some time past the surface of the lower road from Dunedin to Pout Chalmers has gradually become more and more worn, and as a consequence, its condition has brought forth much bitter eminent from the residents of Port Chalmers and Sawyers’ Bay. At the monthly meeting of the Otago Motor Club last evening several letters, which variously characterised the road as ‘* deplorable, “abominable,” “dreadful,” and as a bullock track,” were read, and to support these complaints, a deputation of residents of Port Chalmers, consisting of Messrs G. Poison and A. Coleman, waited on the club with a request that it use its efforts in having the road put in good order. Mr Poison said that when he first went to live at Sawyers’ Bay some two years ago, he had been used to the Central Otago roads, and the Port Chalmers road, therefore, came as a disagreeable shock to him. It was too narrow, and the surface was dreadful. Certainly there had been some improvement made to it since repairs were undertaken, and the gang which was working on it was doing good work. There was still, however, much room for improvement, as it was coming to a point when Port Chalmers residents were glad to leave their cars behind and travel by train. • Mr A. Coleman supported the previous speaker, and pointed out that whilst the road had been improved considerably by widening it, very little had been done to the surface, which was now in a deplorable condition. He asked that the club do what it could in the matter. Mr F. J. Williams said that there had already been allotted lor expenditure on the road £ISOO, of which the Highways Board would find £9OO, and the local bodies concerned (the City Council and West Harbour and Port Chalmers Borough Councils £6OO. From Port Chalmers to Logan’s Quarry was a distance of approximately seven miles, so that it would be seen that the sum allotted provided for an expenditure of, roughly, £2OO per mile for maintenance, which should put the road in reasonably good order. The work would be put in hand almost immediately, and would go on for about five months, the worst portions of the road, of course, being attended to first. He thought that it would be a good idea, if the Highways Board was requested to take this road over at once and then assess the proportion of the cost of reconstruction to be borne by the local bodies concerned. He would move in this direction. Mr Ansell seconded the motion, and remarked that, in view of the fact that the Highways Board was receiving considerable support from motorists it should take some steps to have the road under discussion reconstructed. The motion was carried, and the deputation then withdrew.