MAIN HIGHWAY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 51, 23 February 1945, Page 4

MAIN HIGHWAY

Sir, —It is with amusement that [ note Mr W. R. Boon's statement that a more truly representative idea ol" opinions as to where the Main Highway should run will be obtained from a closed meeting of the Harbour Board, Borough Council and Chamber of Commerce, than by one open, to the public and all interested parties. Surely according to our democratic the individual still has the right to voice his opinion at any meeting that takes on itself to state the local opinions and desires. Of course his statement as to the increased value of the mud flats is to be appreciated as a really sincere effort to make amends for the previously expensive efforts of his Board to make a harbour for which our Borough and County have both hacl to pay dearly. This time however the costs would be paid by the Main Highways so that the expense would be spread throughout New Zealand, while, the Harbour Board along with a few private land owners would benefit. Yes indeed it sounds very satisfactory ( the only difficulty .of course being that while we continue to put engineering obstacles and additional expense in the way of our engineers the longer and harder it will be to get that one thing we all desire, a new bridge and main highway passing through our Borough, and bringing the adjoining town of Opotiki many miles closer. Had it not been for the efforts of the local bodies of this town just prior to the war the Bay of Plenty would no doubt have had its new main highway years ago } with all the. subsequent benefits to our so w T hy go and/give the powers that be another excuse to pigeon-hole it for a further ten years or so. Elsewhere in New Zealand our Public Works engineers have made " a wonderful job of our roading system, and I for one would not agree to bring pressure to alter their prov*? Ed and successful opinion. Yours etje., AN OLD RESIDENT. Sir —1 am constrained to butt in on your discussion re Main Road; but shall spare words. First—in common decency to the men of the Mill a bridge must be erected nearby. This, ' naturally - would bring the road across the flats to the Strand, thus obviating any by-passing of tlie town —and bypassing by even a mile would be a fatal mistake. Then, since it is. wellnigh impossible to take the road round the coast —and if done would certainly spoil your magnificent summer resort, Ohope, the only alternative is a sweep up to Hillcrest from the back of the Pah. Visualise the whole —a magnifi-* cent idea ! And some day you will build a model pah which will delight the eye of the tourist as he runs down from Hillcrest to the sea. Yours etc. SOUTHERNER.