WAITOMO CAVES.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1924, Page 6

WAITOMO CAVES.

ACCESS FROM TE KUITI.

PROPOSED NEW ROAD.

- CAMPAIGN FOR FUNDS, - Some time ago Air. W. J. Broadfoot, president of the Tc Kuiti Chamber of Commerce, originated a scheme to bring the Waitomo Caves within seven miles of Te Kuiti by means of a new road. When it was first mentioned to the Chamber of Commerce, the scheme was enthusiastically received, and approximately £lOO was raised in the room to pay for initial expenses, such as dedication and compensation. The next move was a decision to hold a carnival at Easter to raise funds for the project and an organiser was engaged (states the Auckland Herald).

It appears, however, that the scheme has not been approved of by a small number of residents, and this week Mr. Broadfoot called a public meeting to allow opponents of the scheme to state why the carnival should not be held. An address was given by Mr. Broadfoot, in the course of which lie stated that the Government was certain to include a portion of the suggested new route in the main highway. There was also a suggestion that bitumen should be tried as an experiment on certain sections of the highway. The proposed new route to the eaves would obviously be an ideal piece of road for such an experiment, as practically all traffic would be of a tourist nature. The road would cost about £10,600. the sum of £6OO being for preliminary expenses. The people of Te Kuiti were going to do their utmost to raise a portion of this amount, thus making Te Kuiti the central town for the tourist traffic to the caves and also a stopping place between New Plymouth and Auckland. A conference would be called between all the district local bodies for the purpose of selecting the strongest possible deputation to proceed to Wellington to seek the aid of the Tourist and Public Works Department in bringing the project to a satisfactory issue. The people of Te Kuiti were going to try to raise £lOOO. The settlers benefiting by the road would rate themselves for £4OOO and with a £1 for £1 subsidy from the Government the formation and metalling was assured. The road would tend to open up 8000 acres of first-class flat country. Mr, J. W. Boddie, in giving the scheme strong support, said the Main Highways Board was certain to include a portion of the flat, easily-graded new road in the main highway in preference to the round-about hilly route at present in use. He would move that every effort be made' to collect the necessary funds for surveying, paying compensation and the legislation of the proposed road to the Waitomo Caves, but that no expenditure be incurred until they had, obtained a promise from the Tourist Department or Public Works Department. or some other source that they would form and metal the road within a respectable time. This was carried unanimously. Mr. A. Blackman, in the course of an appeal for a little more optimism in the future of the town, scathingly denounced certain pessimistic members of the chamber whom he said “had not sufficient enthusiasm to keep themselves warm.”