ROAD ACCESS REQUIRED

Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1930, Page 9

ROAD ACCESS REQUIRED

CARRINGTON ROAD DISTRICT. INSPECTION BY AUTHORITIES. Only those who have been over the country can realise the great possibilities for increased production that the country between Main South Road and the mountain or ranges possesses, when adequate reading facilities are provided. There is still a considerable area of land without metalled road access, while some sections have access only by rough tracks. On most of this land the splendid sward of grass evidence of prospects of greatly increased production as soon as access will permit dairying. With a view to overcoming some of these roading disabilities the chairman of the Taranaki County Council (Mr. J. S. Connett), accompanied by Messrs. Vickers, Carey and Thomas, and Mr. Guy Meredith (overseer), with Mr, C. A, Wilkinson, M.P., and Mr. P. Keller, Public Works engineer, visited the district yesterday and inspected various roads. First they proceeded to the top of the Upper Saunders Road at Okato, where they were met by Messrs. Telford and Oakura, who were anxious to have a road formed to take the place of the 63 chains of track leading to their 218 acre section, which adjoins the mountain reserve and c- which they were - anxious to commence dairying. It was estimated that the work would cost about £2OO and would give access to only one settler. However, a basis of contribution by the county -council and the settlers was arrived at and the engineer undertook to recommend a grant on a subsidy basis to carry out the work. A visit was paid to the Dover Road where, on behalf of the settlers Mr. L. D. Bickford asked that the Government should form about three miles of the road beyond the metal as far as the Carrington Road. A portion of this road had been form’d out of loan money some years ago but required grading and widening. Providing the formation could be done the settlers were prepared to raise a metalling loan. Mr. Keller stated that it was the intention of the department to form the road from the Carrington Road for about a mile, but. in view of the fact that the settlers were prepared to raise a metalling loan he would consider recommending the whole of the formation. The party proceeded up the Dover Road to the Carrington Road, it being * necessary to walk the last mile, though one car, driven by Mr. Keller, accomplished’a further half mile on the rough unformed track before being held up by a particularly greasy piece of track. On their arrival at the Carrington Road the work being carried out by unemployed was inspected and very favourably commented upon by the councillors. The men are. employed on cuttings and fillings to straighten and grade the Toad. Some of the cuttings are about 18ft. deep. The men are working systematically, loading from the top into trucks, which are being run along wooden rails to* the fillings, though in one case barrows are being used. Concrete pipes, in some cases four feet in diameter, are being used for the culverts. Several gangs <r “unemployed” are working on small contracts between Dover and Pitone Hoads and they seem to bo satisfied with the conditions. This will later give a through route from Pitone Road to Opunake, but there is a gap of about three and a-half to four miles between there and the top of the Carrington Road that is not touched. In order to inspect the New Plymouth end of the road the party motored later in the evening to the Momona bridge, a distance of over 30 miles by the present motor road from the top of Dover Road, though at the outside only five miles direct. \ Members of the council and Mr. Wilkinson impressed on Mr. Keller the necessity for having work authorised on this end of the road. It now comes to a dead end at the Momona bridge, which was constructed by the Taranaki County Council out of a Government grant some few years ago. It was pointed out that this would provide a fitting place for unemployed relief work, as apart from the aspect of another through road to Opunake it would provide access for settiers in the block between the Momona and the Pitone Road.

Mr. Keller stated that the matter would receive consideration.