THE 'CINDERELLAS'

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 62, 6 April 1945, Page 5

THE 'CINDERELLAS'

WAINUI SETTLERS PLIGHT

DEPUTATION TO COUNTY COUNCIL Styled the 'Cinderellas' of administration as far as roading facilities were concerned by one at the re'cent conference with the Main Highways Board a deputation of Wainui settlers waited on the Whakatane County Council at its meeting last week urging that rather than proceed l with repairs to the existing section of the highway known asi 'thy Burma Road' the Council proceed at once with work upon the deviation route extending down Ohope Beach and linking up with the old road across the Ohiwa mudflats.

Mr H. W. White pointed out that the slips, on the Wainui road were now reaching such proportions that it appeared futile to attempt to repair them. Settlers were isolated for long periods, at a time s and the present repairs were far from satisfactory and likely to create . further slips. He urged that the Council rather spending further money upon attempting the impossible should go right ahead with the work of forming the deviation. This only meant the formation of a new road for 2% to 3 miles. He pointed out also the responsibility on the Council in the event of an accident on the repaired section of the old road, which he declared was likely to go again at any moment. He was strongly supported by Messrs Sax and Bradsliaw. The engineer (Mr C. H. Brebner) agreed that the okl route would never make a good road even if re5 aligned. He explained the. course of the proposed deviation. The chairman said that whilst in Wellington lie had interested the Minister who had promised to make a further inspection, with a view to listing the work as a post-war job. The Minister had admitted that the deviation appeared to be the only equitable solution as already substantial sums had been spend on reconditioning the old road without avail. The Council could be depended upon to do all it possibly could to obtain relief for the settlers.

Mr White: We want to impress upon j'ou that its no good looking upon this work as a post-war job. We may have to wait years for that. The chairman: We appreciate that, and it will he our |duty to get the Minister to think likewise. Cr McGougan said that it was quite possible for the whole hill to go ( and what was the Council going to do in that eventuality? In answer to Cr McCready's question the engineer said that already £500 had been spent on the slip without very satisfactory results. The chairman urged that those settlers living in the Opotiki County Council's boundaries should make representations in that quarter with a view to expediting the authorisation of the deviation. Mr Tipping drew attention to the dangerously overgrown state of the Stanley Track and urged that steps be taken to at least cut back the. overhanging ferns and scrub. The surface was so bad now ; he declared? that there were nine broken springs sustained by travellers using it. in one Aveek recently. The chairman promised that the Council would do all it could to effect improvements. When /the deputation had withdrawn the Council decided to refer the matters complained of to the engineer for action., and with regard to the Wainui deviation to advise the Minister of the matters put forward by the deputation and to urge his urgent attention.