NGAHAURANGA GORGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 25, 29 July 1939, Page 11

NGAHAURANGA GORGE

COUNTY COUNCILLORS' VISIT

A ■■fitting conclusion to the visit of delegates from county councils to the annual conference in Wellington this week was a visit of inspection to the great roading scheme through the Ngahauranga Gorge. The Hon. R. Semple, Minister of Public Works, sent thejn a cordial invitation to. be the Department's guests, believing that these men who control the roading in their districts would be interested to see what the State was doing in one of the most difficult sections near the city. The result was an emphatic approval .by them of the methods adopted, even though, as their chairman stated in a motion of thanks, "they might not be convinced of the need for such a huge undertaking."

Two railway buses and two cars took the party to the Gorge and there they disembarked and in short spells worked their way up the road, seeing all that was to be seen and being given a demonstration of the marvellous work of the mechanised plant.

"We are tremendously proud of" the men," said Mr. Semple. "They are all New Zealanders and all trained on the job. They have shown a ready resource that is beyond all praise and that has enabled them to get out of awkward situations."

The Minister paid that in seven months, mostly working day and night, they had shifted five hundred .thousand yards of rock in seven months and •were so well ahead of time that they had slackened down to an eight-hour day. They had undertaken to do the job in nine months .and were well in sight of the end. _,*.,„,* The afternoon proved brimful ox Interest to the county councillors and at the conclusion of the inspection Mr. H. Cook (Canterbury) expressed the cordial thanks of all present for the privilege so willingly accorded by the Minister. He said they were more than amazed at the results achieved and heartily congratulated the Government on the work done, He said it would have been impossible to do the job by old-time methods and he doubted if better work could have been done anywhere. It would be a tremendous asset to the city at the time of the Exhibition and would help largely to solve the traffic problem.

\ Mr. Semple acknowledged the compliments paid.

Cheers were given for the Minister, after-■which-the-party returned to the city.