CITY OUTLETS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27385, 10 May 1950, Page 6

CITY OUTLETS

Most Urgent Works HAAST PASS ROAD NOT JUSTIFIED Until works of more urgency—including the outlets to the north and south of the city, the Port Chalmers road, the Waitaki and Henley bridges and the Pigroot—were completed, there was no justification for pressing the case for the competition of the Westland-Otago road over the Haast Pass, or the building of a new road to Middlemarch. This /was the view of the Otago Automobile Association Executive at its meeting last night. “It is time all these local bodies and other organisations got together and made up their minds what they want as priorities for Otago,” said Mr P. W. Breen. “When everybody keeps, putting new projects before the Highways Board, it is just making the position absolutely ridiculous.” “Members will have noted that strong representations are to be made by representatives of several local authorities to have the Haast Pass road completed,” stated Mr D. Forsyth. “I do not suggest that we would not agree to such action, but I do suggest that we should not lose sight of our own policy of priorities—that the northern and southern outlets to Dunedin are first on our list. There are some indications of a tightening of finance in regard to public works, and we should, I feel, continue to press for a speedy decision and action in regard to these Dunedin exits. Lagging Behind “Auckland and Christchurch present no problems and have excellent exit roads,” he said. “'Wellington has long since had access improved, and only Dunedin lags behind. A comparison between the ‘autobahn’ type of highway through the Ngahauranga Gorge on the one hand and the present Mount Cargill and Green Island roads on the other, would be very much to the detriment of the latter. Although I understand some surveys have been done on the Leith Valley route, we should continue to press for a substantial sum for construction purposes to be placed on the 1950 estimates for a completion of this road. “The Port Chalmers road, the Pigroot and the Henley bridge are also high on our priority list, and while we would like to see the Haast Pass road completed, I would emphasise my belief that all local authorities should continue to press for the completion of these other roads at the earliest possible date. “I would remind members of our stated policy that we would be pleased to see the completion of the Haast Pass and Milford roads, but that we wanted our existing main and State highways put in order first.” The executive reaffirmed its previous decision. Fox Glacier Conference

“I presume that one of the people who went to the conference at Fox Glacier was representing the City Council,”, said Mr G. W. Ferens. “ I am surprised that the City Council and the Development Council should use all that activity and leave their own back yard in a mess.” It was decided to ask the City Council whether Mr L. J. T. Ireland was acting in an official capacity or as a private citizen in regard to the Haast Pass road representations, and it was also decided to call a conference of interested bodies in an endeavour to get united action on road projects in the area.

The discussion also covered the suggestion that a new road should be made from Dunedin to Middlemarch. the president giving an extensive report on an inspection trip which he had made. “ When I saw that idea first mooted. I thought it was stupid,” commented Mr H. S. Reid. “ Such a road would be miles away from all the homesteads—it would go through desolate country.' Who is it going to benefit? ” The existing road would obviously have to be kept open to serve the settlers and any new road would have to be fenced all along the way, said Mr G. W. Ferens. The chairman pointed out that the Middlemarch interests were not asking for support for the proposed new road—they were just asking for support for representations that a survey should be made before a lot of money* was spent on the existing road.

It was decided that this was another matter which could be brought up at the conference which was to be called.