DARGAVILLE NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 231, 29 September 1928, Page 17

DARGAVILLE NEWS.

THE MAIN HIGHWAY.

ACCESS TO RAILWAY,

DEPUTATION TO WELLINGTON.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) DAUGAVILLE, this day.

■The. main highway between Ruawai and Paparoa railway station, at present gazetted a road owing to heavy gradients, is unsuitable for cartage of heavy goods, manures, etc. A petition has been circulated throughout Iluawai flats asking the Government to give them access to the rail with a 6i-ton road. A deputation, comprising the chairman of the Ratepayers' Association (Mr. T. W. Holmes), the manager of the Ruawai Co-operative Dairy Co (Mr. E. K Haines), and the clerk to Otamatea County Council (Mr. E..G. Aiken), are in Wellington at present with a petition to Mr. Loates. It is probable that if the request is granted, Ruawai Dairy Company will rail their butter, in preference to the present method of shipment by steamers to Helensville and thence by rail to Auckland.

Considerable disappointment is expressed in local body circles that no provision is mado in tire Public Works Estimates for completion of the gap deviation of thre<* and a-quarter miles between Mititai and Tokatok», a. perfectly flat road, reduciiif; ibe mileage between Dargaville and Ruawai to eighteen miles instead of twenty-two. Tlic existing route is over heavy gradients. Hobson County spent £0000 <>f loan moneys (not carrying any subsidy) on formation, fencing and compensation prior to the Highways Board coming into operation. The county is asking that the Highways Board should subsidise the expenditure already made. A sum of £3200 is required for sandstone filling to raise the present formation, and a further £600 ft will be required next year for metalling a couple of miles of this. The deviation at the Tokatoka end was completed by the Otamatea County Council a year later than the Hobson County's works, M'hieh carried a subsidy of £3 for £1. With this section completed Ruawai ■flats -would have access to Dargaville railway station by a level road, which the Minister says will be connected with the Main Trunk line within two aud ahalf rears.