THAMES TO TAIRUA.

Thames Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 20037, 18 June 1937, Page 3

THAMES TO TAIRUA.

THROUGH ACCESS ROAD.

AN URGENT NECESSITY.

DEPUTATION TO COUNTY COUNCIL.

PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS.

NEEDS OF EASTERN FARMERS.

The agitation for the immediate prosecution of work that will bring about the. completion of a through road from Thames to Tairua, via the Kauaeranga Valley and Hikuai, was advanced another stage yesterday, when a large deputation waited on the Thames County Council meeting, presenting petitions from the Kauaeranga and East Coast settlers, urging that the work be put in hand.

The deputation sought the support of the Council in the matter, and placed before it salient points of view as to why the through road was necessary.

An important point was the deputation's expression that it would strenuously oppose the taking of the Kauaeranga Valley for State Forest services, as, in its opinion, a great portion was suitable for agricultural and pastoral purposes.

After hearing the deputation, the Council resolved to do everything possible to impress upon the Government the urgent necessity for the project to be put in hand.

The petitions, one from the Tairua settlers, and the other from the Kauaeranga farmers, addressed to the Minister for Public Works, and presented to the Council, were as follows: — The Tairua Plea. The petition, signed by 150 adult residents, workers or property owners in the Tairua Biding, read as follows: "(1) Your petitioners all reside or own property in the said Tairua Riding, and are mainly occupied in, or dependent upon, farming pursuits. "(2) Your petitioners have always desired proper road access by the best and most direct route possible to Thames as the largest town and the most convenient centre for the district and through Thames, to Auckland. "(3) A reasonably direct and easily graded road can be constructed thereto without serious engineering difficulties 0 r expense, and such a road will .shorten the present routes to Thames and to Auckland, by 25 to 30 miles. Only a short distance of new construction on such route is required. "(4) The development of this district and the prosperity of its residents has been long and severely retarded by the great delay in constructing the remaining portion of the Kauaeranga-Hikuai Road, resulting in isolation of this community and great cost of transport to be borne. "(5) As this district cannot receive any benefit from national expenditure on railways, and will always have to depend upon road transport, your petitioners feel very strongly that they aro all the more entitled to good road access by the shortest route, and pray that you will at once order construction of same to bo commenced." . Kauaeranga Petition. The petition from the Kauaeranga Residents,, containing 96 names, stated: "We, the undersigned settlers of r tlie Kauaeranga Valley, pray of • your consideration in providing ,vehk'ul»r access to the Tairua Vul;,loy, and thus provide the necessary convenience of utilisation of ithe extension area of unoccupied (Crown lands between and in both valleys, and also cause direct access between Thames and Tairua." Deputation's Views. Mr. A. G. Bryan introduced the deputation, and stated that he was presenting the Tairua petition on behalf of Mr. J. H. Prescott, who, owing to illness, was unable to attend with others from Hikuai.

The matter was not a new one, said Mr. Bryan, the. Council years ago having approved and urged the work, and it had actually been commenced. The purpose of the deputation was to press for the immediate completion of the road, and it was believed that if vigorously prosecuted the road would be open for traffic in 15 months. Mr. Bryan continued by outlining the settlement of the Hikuai district some 16 years ago, and said the settlers had ■been waiting patiently for this road ever since. At present the whole riding on the eastern side of the range was without a road outlet to its own County.

Lack of this road was a tremendous handicap to the settlers through extra cost, addod the speaker. For example, June delivered there cost approximately £2 a ton, which was almost prohibitive, as was everything else in proportion. The settlers had to depend on a most irregular boat service, and both of the last consignments of butter to the grading stores in Auckland had been kept for periods up to four weeks before they could be despatched. There would bo at least a loss of $d per lb. to the settlers on two months' buttcrfat supplied. Encouraging Settlement. "By reducing their costs the road will cnablo the settlers now on their farms to get much better results and will encourage further settlement," con-

tinued Mr. Bryan. "There is a fair area of unoccupied land in the valley quite suitable for farming, provided manures and such-like can be landed there at reasonable cost. Road access will not doubt have the same effect on the district as it has had in the similar districts of Coroglen and Whenuakite, where it has given a great impetus to farming progress." At the present time, asserted the speaker, nearly all traffic was by boat, but this road would feed the railways •ind at the same time enable settlers to »et some benefit from the rail towards the Josses on which, as taxpayers, they had to contribute.

Hospital Aspect. The hospital aspect was also placed 'lefore the Council by Mr. Bryan, who said the settlers over the range had for many years paid rates towards the hospital and had been so cut off that they had not been able to obtain the benefit.

"Certainly they should not be compelled to pay hospital rates unless facilities are made available," added Mr. Brvan.

"In view of the great amount of road work that has been going on in Hie Coroniandel and Ohinemuri Counties, it has been most galling to these settlers to see so little done in their own County, especially when small 'Oinmunities, very like their own, in the Coroniandel County, have recently all been given good road access," said the speaker, who quoted Kennedy Bay, Whangapoa and Port Jackson.

It was submitted, said Mr. Bryan in conclusion, that the work would be suitable for the employment of men to obsorb men from other jobs now being completed, and that it should foe completed without cost to the local body or the settlers.

Other speakers who supported the contentious were Mr. K. Hetherington. president of the Thames Chamber of Commerce, and some of the settlers from the Kauaeranga. Council's Support.

Following the hearing of the deputation, the Council passed a resolution that everything possible bo done to effect the road going through, and that the petitions, as presented, be forwarded to Mr. J. Thorn, M.P.

INFORMATION WANTED. MOTOR ASSN.'S UEQUEST. The Automobile Association (Auckland) wrote asking the Council for information regaTding the Kuuacranga Road, as this matter would come under discussion at its next meeting. Or. D. Courtney said that the clerk mould reply when giving the information that it was hoped the Association would use its influence to have the construction and maintenance costs provided by the Government.

It was decided to provide the infor mation asked for.

BOROUGH'S VIEWPOINT. SUPPORT SUGGESTED. The Thames Borough Council communicated suggesting that the County Council should bring before the Government the putting through of an ac cess road through the Kauaeranga. which was long overdue. The construction of such a road would provide useful work for the unemployed.

WHICH ROUTE? P.W.D. SEEKS ADVICE. The Public Works Department advised that an application had been received from ratepayers in that district that a road should be put through from Puriri to Ilikuai, via Neavcsville. The Department asked for the Council's advice as to which route, the ono mentioned above or the Kauaeranga Road, the Council considered would be the most suitable. The chairman pointed out that the

two routes ran practically parallel. He said there was no comparison between the two roads. One went ovor a mountain 1500 feet high and tho other skirted along the valley below. Both had their outlet at almost the same place. He was of the opinion the Kauaeranga project would be far moro suitable. Cr. McCorniick said he could not see that a vehicular road could be made via Ncavesvillc. Cr. Williamson said that from what he could gather the Kauaeranga Valley Road would be the best project. It was decided to reply to the Department that the Council considered the Kauaeranga Road as the most suitable. Mr. Thorn's Request, Mr. James Thorn, M.P., said he would be glad of all the support the Council would give, if it was favourable to the scheme, towards the agitation for the Kauaerauga-Tairua Road.