PARAWANUI BEACH ROAD.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11502, 17 February 1916, Page 4

PARAWANUI BEACH ROAD.

Fourteen miles from Bulls the' Parewanui beach, near the mouth of the Rangitikei river, is one of the best on this coast for safe sea bathing, and it is nice and smooth for children to play about on, consequently during the summer season many families camp near the river mouth and a large number of people visit the beach for a day’s outing But at the time of the great flood about 18 years ago, the road from the ferry to the beach was washed away and so visitors must now walk a considerable distance from the road end to the seaside. Owing to the labour this entails and the time required to do the journey both ways the nice beach is not made use of nearly as much as it would be if a road connection were made. People from Feilding to Huuterville visit the beach as well as residents in the locality but as the required road would be of no service to rateable laud the Rangitikei County Council has not up to the present considered it expedient to spend money on it. As, however, it is very desirable thexoad should be made and a comparatively small sum would open it sufficiently to allow cars to get \yithin about 13 chains of the sea, a few energetic residents of Bulls decided to take the initiative in the matter and endeavour to raise that sum by subscription. Hence a public meeting was convened last night in the Town Hall. Mr Clark, chairman of the To wn Board, prided. Mr McMauaway read a letter from Mr E, Newman, M.P., who wrote: “1 regret that owing to another engagement I cannot attend the meeting, but lam greatly interested in the formation of a good road to the beach and would be pleased if my services can be of any use in connection with your proposals. If so I hope you will inform me.” Mr McMauaway said he, Mr Walker, Mr Thoms, County overseer, and Mr Dalrymple, the County representative, had gone over the road line and found that it was almost level, there being only one low sand hill to cut through. Parts of it were covered with grass which it would be inexpedient to touch as it would carry a amount of traffic. After conferring on the matter, Mr Thoms said parts of the track would have to be planted with buffalo grass and parts clayed, and if the work were carried out economically it might be done for £6O. Mr Amon would not object if traffic on the grassed parts trespassed on and what was also very important, Mr Amon would supply the necessary clay. There was also an agitation to make a road to the Turakina beach, but there it was impossbile to get a car within a mile and a quarter of the sea. Considering how much easier it would be to make a track to the Parawanui beach he thought they ought to take advantage of their opportunities and form the track at once by public subscription if the Council declined to do the work. Probably if the track was fohned and the County Council saw what a large use was being made of it the Council would improve it. £IOO could be spent with advantage on it but £6O would make it useable. Mr Walker said Mr McManaway had so fully explained the case that it left him little to say, except t hat good fresh water was obtainable just Dehind the sand hill, a very short distance from the sea. Mr Mansell asked whether the County Council would contribute to the cost of opening the road. ■ Mr McManaway replied that Mr Dalrymple had said he had no power to give money for the purpose out of the riding fund. In his (Mr McManaway’s) opinion it was a work that the whole County was interested in and once the track was formed the Council could not do less than keep it in good repair, The clay would have to be placed on i a bed of straw. Mr Ainon said the grass parts of the road would carry a considerable amount of traffic in dry weather without breaking through, Mr J. B. Gaislord said once a start was made means would be found to carry on the work. Mr McMauaway announced that as he had received promises of £3B 10s from eight persons they could go forward with the work. This was agreed to, and a committee consisting of Messrs McManaway, Walker, R. Brown, Mansell, Gaisford and Tricker was appointed to carry out the work with the consent of the Council. , A vote of thanks was passed to the “Advocate” for giving publicity to the matter. The committee met subsequently and elected Mr McManaway chairman and Mr, Walker secretary and It was decided that the consent of the Council having been obtained to carry out the work at once.