EAST COAST ROAD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 45, 2 February 1945, Page 5

EAST COAST ROAD

QUESTION OF MAIN HIGHWAY BUSLNESSMENS' OPINION Arising from a letter received from the Minister of Hon. R. Semple, tlie question of the main route to Opotiki Avas once again discussed at the last meeting of the Whakatane Chamber of Commerce. Speaking 011 the subject Mr G. A. Brabant said that lie. thought tlie Chamber should come to one conclusion regarding which way the road should go. He personally thought it would be better for it to go through the Maraetotara Gorge and not through the tOAvn in order to aA r oid the congestion of. traffic which would occur. This route would be handy to the toAvn and yet Avould not interfere in any way-with the traffic on the Strand. Mr R. Schofield dreAV attention to the fact that the definite opinion of the people of Whakatane at a meeting called some years ago Avas that the road should go across the mudflats at the back of the town. Mr Brabant: Since that meeting it. has been found that that would be a very costly Avay of doing it. It Avould be cheaper to take it through the Maraetotara Gorge. Mr Schofield: I think Whakatane would lose by it if the route was over the hills. It Avould be better to take, it round the Heads. Mr Canning: I think we should agitate for the road to go through Whakatane. We Avere side-trac'ked over the railway and we can't afford to be side-tracked again. Initially it. might cost less to* put it through the Maraetotara Gorge but it Avould cost , more in upkeep than if it Avent through the town. Mr Good Avas of the same opinion and instanced Foxton "as a case Avhere being by-passed had greatly reduced its importance. Mr Brabant dreAV attention to the point that Whakatane would not be by-passed if the Gorge route were utilised. The road would still be passing through the borough whereas if it AA r ere taken round the Heads and across Ohope it might spoil that beach as a pleasure resort. People did not Avail t to camp right, alongside a main higlnvay. Mr Canning recalled the time Avhen the raihvay would have been Avilling to* run excursions to Ohope if the line had been close enough but as Whakatane had been bypassed this Avas impossible. Now that the toAvn had the opportunity of getting the main road put through in that, direction he did not think such possibilities should be overlooked. Mr Warren: It appejfrs that this Chamber in the past } with the support of upwards of six hundred people decided to support the route through the town. It seems that our course is to endorse that opinion. With the lapsing of Mr Brabant's motion that the road go through the Maraetotara Gorge, the Chamber decided to endorse its original policy' that, the highway be brought through the toAvn on the seaAvard.side to Opotiki via Ohope. Mr R. Schofield and Mr A. J. Canning Avere deputed to represent the Chamber at the meeting of the HighAvays Board to take place in the near future in Whakatane. Advice has been received by the Whakatane County Council that the Main Highways Board's tour, scheduled to reach Whakatane on / Wednesday next has been cancelled. This Avill mean that the delegations from County, Borough and Chamber of Commerce Avill noAV have, to be postponed.