MAIN ROAD TO KAWHIA

Waipa Post, Volume 32, Issue 1780, 8 July 1926, Page 5

MAIN ROAD TO KAWHIA

ACCESS FROM TE KAWA.

IMPROVEMENT REALLY '• \ -NECESSARY,

Messrs B. Symes, Seccombe and Cowley waited on the Otorohanga County Council on Wednesday with reference' to'the' main highway to Kawhia and the necessity for its being metalled, etc.

Mr Symes, speaking on the subject, said they .had come to think that the matter had) hot been properly presented., and,.that therefore there had teen a movement, started to get the Nguturiui-Pirongia road gazetted as part of the main highway. That would be detrimental to the Ngutunui section which had been gazetted as the main highway. He hoped that the Council would push the matter of the Ngutunui-Kawa section. Mr Secconibe spoke on similar lines and said he-ihad been told it was no use asking Mr. Stewart Reid's assistance as he had already interested/ himself in .favour- of.. the Pirongia road. The ratepayers had, decided that they would be able, to...stand the cost of a £3 for. £1 subsidy,/but £4 for £1 would be impracticable.' The amount of unoccupied Native land. on the Pirongia route was greater than had been divulged to the general public. The engineer stated that ithey would remember that at a meeting of ratepayers it had been decided that it would be impracticable to go in for a loan unless they could get a £3 for £1 subsidy from the Highways Board.' The Board, had refused Ito subsidise more than £2 for £l. f ' 'He had since seen the chairman of the Board on several occasions and he had been over the road several times and knew all about it. The Board would not be in a position to. say whether they would subsidise £3 for £1 or £4 for £1 until the matter came before Parliament. The Kawhia people Were sympathetic with the Ngutunui, Te Kawa or Otorohanga route. ■ The, matter would have to be deferred until the estimates were considered.

Mr Seccombe stated that a £3 for £1 subsidy would mean practically double his rates.'.but he -was agreeable to it being so.

Mr Symes thought they .had, a very strong case for a £4 for £1 subsidy seeing what Kawhia had managed to do. What r\jvas wanted was a good backing up of their request by local bodies and members of Parliament. He was sorry to hear that Mr Stewart Reid's sympathies -had been alienated, but hoped that Mr Rolleston's sympathies and interests would he available. The chairman thought that the member for the'X'di'Striet would do all he could ia-jsrlhewmatte; .j; The Kawhia Council had.already suggested a conference on the matter. The engineer said ilt was his that it should.be>;a; £4 for £1 subsidy. A £2 for .'£l, subsidy was out of the question and .this, had been represented to the (Highways Board. If the proposed conferenoehy ;the .Kawhia Council was' with : ,the : object of trying, to persuade the , Otorohanga 'County Council to pick up the £2 for £1 subi sidy they migbi„as-well stay. at 1 home. Of course itwas ■possible that the £4 for £1 subsidy had been agreed to but in any case no reply had been received to their'request. The deputation then withdrew.

On of Grs. Hill and. Ingham, it was resolved that the interest of the member, for. Waitomo be enlisted in connection with obtaining the £4 for £1 subsidy.