NEW HIGHWAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27210, 13 October 1949, Page 6

NEW HIGHWAY

DUNEDIN-MIDDLEMARCH SUPPORT FROM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE General- support to a suggestion made to the Daily Times and the Otago Development Council by three farmers from the Middlemarch district that a shorter route to Middlemarch from Dunedin is necessary has been given by the executive of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce. The chamber supports the proposed new route, and points out that it considered a proEosal in 1940 for a more direct route etween Dunedin and the Maniototo area.

At that time, however, the chamber decided that it would not recommend an expenditure of funds for this purpose while all the resources of the Dominion were directed towards the prosecution of the war. At the same time, however, the chamber felt that action was required to provide improved access from Dunedin to the Maniototo.

The proposal of the Maniototo farmers was that a new and almost snow-free route between these two places should be investigated. They claimed that it would be 20 miles shorter than the present road, and would eliminate many steep grades. The farmers recently gave the Daily Times an outline of the route which they proposed should be followed, and later the Otago Development Council decided to invite one of them to elaborate the suggestion at its next meeting. The Chamber of Commerce has now supported the proposal in general terms.