EAST COAST HIGHWAY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 25, 17 November 1944, Page 5

EAST COAST HIGHWAY

VEXED QUESTION EN ROUTE

BOROUGH COUNCIL DISCUSSION

Following the circulation in this district of a leading article appearing in the Opotiki News, relative to th-c> course, of the proposed East Coast Main Highthe matter was introduced by Cr H. G. Warren at the meeting of the Whakatane Borough last Monday evening. The article concerned welcomed the decision at a meeting of combined county councils, and the Main Highways' Board, held at Tauranga recently at which it was alleged the •course of the new highway was definitely fixed.as traversing the Waimana Gorge, thereby cutting AVhaJiatane out of the except lor the improvement of the secondary highway which is apparently to run through Wainui via Ohope Beach. As no one in Whakatane has apparently heard anything of the meeting and as there has- been no official intimation regarding its status or powers there, appears to be little reason to regard the. settling of the route by such unorthodox means as official. The matter however brings to mind memories of the .old battle, of years ago when the two toAvns waged wordy war on an permanent basis regarding the alternative routes. Cr Warren therefore did not introduce a new subject when he. brought the. matter for 'his own instruction' as' he said. "The Chamber of Commerce's very alive to the positioli/' sa I) Cr Canning, who added that lour years ago it had presented a petition signed by ' 800 persons agitating for the main highway to go through the town. It was felt, that if the alternative route through Taneatua was decided on that Whakatane would be by-tpassed as it had been by the rail. He thought the. Chamber and the Harbour Board should be written to. 'The Mayor: We have had no word of such a meeting. It was evidently decided upon at the combined county conference.

Cr Shapley: A letter should be sent to the P.W.D. pointing out that the route to Opotiki is getting longer and longer. Thirty years ago we had a shorter route, by the Ohiwa entrance. It should also be pointed out that as the proposition vitally affects Whakatane that the council at least feels that the Mayor should have been invited to attend. I would hate to think that an unfair advantage had been taken of an interested party in its absence.

Cr Shapley moved that the Minister of Public Works be written to asking that before anything be done regarding the establishment of h defined course, for the. permanent highway, that the Whakatane. Borough Council would welcome a chance for its views on the subject to be taken cognisance of. Cr Canning seconded.

Cr Sullivan said that the Minister himself had definitely agreed to the line going across. Ohiwa harbour when he inspected the route some .years ago. The idea of main highways was to link neighbouring towns by the shortest possible routes. Both Opotiki and Whakatane. were important centres and though he did not know what powers, the conference possessed he advocated doing the best, for both towns. If the money raised by the. petrol tax were only spent on the highways as it was intended to do ? we would get a better deal all round. It was most, unfair that people on the coast were forced still to travel in blinding clouds of dust ? when; they were- already paying heavily for a better . service. The Mayor: I very much doubt if the meeting concerned had the backing of the P.W.D. Cr Sullivan: There is no doubt but that the road from the railhead does need improving. It is valuable to Opotiki and the whole of the. east coast. We must not forget that. Cr Shapley's motion was then put to the meeting and carried.