A DANGEROUS ROAD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3775, 20 July 1926, Page 7

A DANGEROUS ROAD.

PLIGHT OF KAWARIU GORGE. RUTS A ROOT DEEP. ; From the remarks made by members of the Otago Motor Club at its meeting on July 13 it appears that the Kawarau Gorge road is one of the world’s worst roads. The chairman (Mr A. E. Ansell). regards it as a death trap. “The week before last,” he said, “I motored to Queenstown and found the road to be in a very dangerous state. As most of you know it is a narraw road with a cliff on one side and then a precipice of hundreds of feet on the other, with the river at the bottom. There were ruts 12 inches deep at' least, and when one gets in it is almost impossible to get out. The front wheels might get out while the rear ones would stay in. which is most dangerous. I met another car which was unable to extricate itself from the ruts ns it approached, and finally, when it‘ did get away, it shot across to the other side of the road I think wo should take steps to have that rectified.”

Mr Ansell added that he had written to the chairman" of the Lck e County Council, who had replied, saying that he had asked the Main Highways Board to take the road over. The council’s total rates from that area of six imjes were £26 per annum. “My grievances”’ the speaker went on. “is that at the close of the last financial vear there was to the credit of the South Island countie* £2OOO. which could not bo spent because the countries could not put up a £1 for £1 subsidy. That is a very cheeseparing policy. It should be made a Government road. The Lake County 13 not in a position to keep all the roads in good order, especially when the rates for six miles are only .£26.” He moved, “that the club write protesting against the state of the road and urging that in view of ihe importance of keeping it in good repair, and the large amount of through traffic, it should be declared a Government road and kept in good repair.” Mr H. W. Justice seconded the motion, with a certain amount of fervency, lie said that his experience of this stretch of road was much the same. He had seen a service car take off its front wheel to turn in these ruts. The road is certainly in need of repair,” he added, "and I think we should have some of that money that is lying to our account. Mr Ansell said that a motorist had tout him that when it was frozen it was like sharp metal and he had ruined a set of balloon tyres between Arrowtdwn and Cromwell. , . , .. w The motion was supported hv Mr w. Williams and was then carried unani- i raously. _ . . ..it The Chairman: I hope the press will rub It in as hard as it can. It doesn’t need to worry about anything I have said. 1 will be very pleased to seo it shining in tho press.