WORK OFFERING.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17764, 11 December 1929, Page 4

WORK OFFERING.

PURIRI-NEAVESVILLE TRACK.

P.W.D/S OPERATIONS

“STAR’S" ACTION BEARS FRUIT.

Word has been received in Thames that the Public Works Department now intends to proceed with the work of clearing up the Purirl-Neavesvllle track. , This work, so long advocated in the “Star,” is to be undertaken immediately and will undoubtedly prove a boon to the settlers who rely on this as their only outlet for stock and personal transit from Hikuai and Tairua.

Briefly, the position is that last winter the Public Works Department widened the track, but in doing so covered the metal which had been put down by tiie Thames County, and during the heavy ’ winter rains the road became practically impassable. The Departmental officers promised that this . would be attended to, and considerable ; correspondence has passed between the County Council and the Public Works engineer at Paeroa, but apparently little was decided upon. Some weeks ago the attention of the Department was drawn to this matter in a leading article in the “Star,” and the position of the settlers as stated by the councillor for the Tairua Riding, Mr H. CoryWright, stressed. The outcome of this is seen by the fact that the Department has now decided to go on with the job of reconditioning the, road.

Not only was the covering of the old metal a decided handicap to the settlers getting in manures and gettng out their jy-00l and stock, but a further contributing cause to the bad state of 1 the road was the fact that the overhanging bush did not allow the sun to get at the track to dry the mud, and in places the track was a quagmire. The Department is now to clear back the bush in those parts where it overhangs, and thus the surface will have some chance of drying. .'} i It is the intention of the Public orks Department to .commence that work at once, and there is work available at once for six good road labourers and two experienced bushmen. Tho ( se who fulfil these qualifications should at once apply to the local officer of the Labour Department at the Courthouse, Thames, and, of course, married men will be given preference in the jobs. The main work will be some three miles inland from the main road and the result of the action of the Department will be gratifying to the settlers, who last winter had to put up with’ a great deal of benefit to the whole of the district and especially to the settlers in the Puriri and Tairua Ridings.

Crs Cribb and Courtney, th<* councillors on the Thames Countv Council for the Puriri Riding, have long been urgent ir. pressing the claims of this road to the attention of the Department, and no doubt wnj be gratified a't tb« news that this matter is now showing some definite signs of progress.