ACCESS TO KAWHIA

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 73, Issue 6283, 20 September 1946, Page 5

ACCESS TO KAWHIA

INVESTIGATION OF ROUTES Replying, in the House of Representatives, to Mr Broadfoot (Nat-, ional, Waitomo) who asked when the residents of Kawhia would be provided with a modern highway, the Minister of Works (Mr Semple) said six possible routes giving access to Kawhia had been investigated, but the matter was still inconclusive, and further outlets were now under investigation. Considerable engineering work was involved, and it was not possible to indicate at present when the final report would be available.

Discussing the Minister’s reply in the House, Mr Broadfoot emphasised that modern access to Kawhia was of vital interest to the people of the district. The Minister of Works had failed to carry out his promise given some years ago to provide a modern highway. Indeed, his reply that six possible routes had been investigated and others were still under investigation suggested that difficulties were being created and there was no very keen desire to do the job. The Minister of Works had visited Kawhia and had met the residents without informing the member for the district. Meanwhile Kawhiia remained the back door to a large

territory, whereas it should be the front door to a big producing area. Development naturally followed good roads and electricity, and improvement could, not be expected until the access question had been determinedKawhia harbour was the best harbour on the West coast of both islands and could be an excellent secondary distributing point. It could also become a splendid holiday resort, but again the absence -of a good road was the handicap.