GALE DESTROYS ROAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1009, 27 June 1930, Page 18

GALE DESTROYS ROAD

WHANGAMATA ISOLATED NO MONEY FOR REPAIRS Special to THE SUN PAEHOA, Thursday. Recent gales have caused ■washouts and slips on the road from Whangamata to AVaihi. The road is impassable, except for pack horses, and the township of Whangamata is practically isolated. In one i>lace the road lias been washed away for three or four miles, and what is left resembles a riverbed. At today’s meeting of the Oliinemuri County Council the following letter was read from the Public Works Department: “In connection with the AVaihiWhangamata Road, further maintenance cannot be undertaken. While it is understood that maintenance was promised for a period of three years, until February 28, 1931, the funds made available to the Minister this year under the maintenance of roads vote will not permit of any assistance being granted toward the maintenance and upkeep of roads. As promises of this nature are made on the understanding that they will be adhered to provided tho necessary funds can be made available, the work must close as further funds are not available and the present authority is exhausted.” CHAIRMAN AMAZED The chairman, Mr. Colin Mason, said he had been amazed at the extent of the damage done to the road. The department could be asked for relief for flood damage, but the council was utterly without funds with which to lift anything in the nature of a subsidy. The department apparently had no intention of accepting responsibility. Mr. Robinson held that the department should be kept to its promise. Mr. Mason said: “We may just as well tell the Whangamata settlers that they are isolated and will continue to remain so. Our funds simply do not allow us to help them.” It was decided to ask the department, in the circumstances, to adhere to the original agreement.