MOKAU-WAITEWHENA ROAD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143670, 14 December 1911, Page 5

MOKAU-WAITEWHENA ROAD.

REPLY TO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. The secretary of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce has received the following communication, dated December 11. from Mr. W. Armstrong, Commissioner ol Crown Lunds, with respect to the request ol the (.’dumber that a road be surveyed to connect the WuiL’whena Ruud,' Ohnra, with the Mokait River: “Referring to previous correspondence, you will remember 1 informed yon verbally ilmt f had boon unable to obtain authority for the survey oi the Mokau-Waite wluma Road. i now enclose copy ol memo, which I forwarded to the tudor-Secreiary tor Lam’s, Wellington. on the subject; alsoplan to illustrate same. The I nder-secretary considers time probably the road now dicing surveyed by Messrs. I*hidden and Rainier at the south-euM. corner of the Mokau-Mohakatino block may Ik; sufficient for all purposes. in any l ' a * SC! f think it desirable t.o wait until the reading of this block is completed, when Mr. Sladden will bo nine to give more information as tin* result of Ins explorations. 1 may also mention Dial immediately to tbu south ol the MokauMohakatiuo there is a black oi (Town land 4-, comprising 'M.oRh acres, which it is rny intention to have surveyed ay soon as surveyors are available.” In his memo, to the Lndei*-Secretary Mr. Armstrong pointed out lhai the suggested road from the l.’ura Road to the mouth oi the Rnnirau Creek was condemned as impracticable by Mr, H. M. Skecl, whose opinion was conlirmed by Mr. Sladden. Mr. Sladden, however, stated that it might be possible to obtain a road from the \\ ailewhena Rond some few miles further north than the Burn Road to connect with a road which he is laying off running parallel with and a short distance from the Mokau River. This latter would give access to the river some distance above the Panirau Creek, or. if the river was not navigable so far, the road now being laid off could bo followed down to tho Pauiruu. The road at the south-east corner of the Mokau-Mohakat ino block, mentioned by the I’nder-SoereUry. will serve to connect the river with the Mangakara Road, which brunches off the Mangaroa-Tongapomtu Road not very far from Mangaroa. If it is a good practicable mail it should servo the Mangaroa district well ami give tlie settlers access to navigable waters of the Mokau. Mr. 0. T. Murray, District Road Engineer, gnes as a probable solution of the Panirau route question the tunnelling ot the I’mukaimaca Range, tho high altitude of which presents the difficulty named by Mr. Sheet and Mr. Sladden, and Mr. Annslrong suggested that, if a Public Works engineer was not available, -Mr. Sladden might he employed to explore for a suitable mule. In the meantime the settlers must be patient, and no doubt when the Mokau-Mohakatino block is opened and settlement begins a solution will be found.