OHOPE BEACH ROAD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 282, 12 March 1941, Page 4

OHOPE BEACH ROAD

Sir, —To one indirectly connected with Ohope the letters and deputations re the proposed road along .the frontages of sections 1 to 58 have been of interest. The first intimation I had on these sections, or that a road might ever be required along their frontages, was in the Land Board Offices in Auckland about- the end of the year 1919 or early in 1920. Messrs Buddie and James had submitted subdivisional plans for approval. The department inclined approval on the ground that beach access was not sufficient. It was stated that the day might come when there should be better access, and accepting the plans as submitted might cause trouble.

To overcome the difficulty. Messrs Buddie and James added a clause to all the Title Deeds earmarking a strip along the frontages as a right-of-way.

purchasers required these sections with their eyes upon to the fact that this right-of-way might be required later on, and by accepting their Title Deeds promised to give it. To my mind there, is no doubt about a properly formed road being required. The beach is not a road; it is a rccreation area. Also its use is controlled by the tides, and the damp salt sand sticks and is ruinous on car bodywork.

Ohope is a suburb of Whakatane: shacks are giving way to good houses and many fine homes have been built which warrant a proper road. In my opinion the County Council Vj'ill be doing its duty to the ratepayers and the district as a whole if it dedicates and forms this road. Yours etc., PROGRESS.