AN ACCESS ROAD.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 776, 17 October 1922, Page 6

AN ACCESS ROAD.

TO PUKEKOHE STATION. LOCAL BODIES REPRESENTA(TIONS. WIDER THOROUGHFARE DESIRED. For some years past representations have been made to the Railway Department by the Pukekohe Borough Council to widen the approach road, to the Pukekohe railway station, but so far the efforts have been unsuccessful. At Thursday’s meeting of the Franklin County Council, the Borough Council solicited the Council’s co-op-eration in urging upon (the authorities and member for the district the necessity of having the thoroughfare widened to the statutory width, so that it would be safe for .the heavy traffic which used the road. In support of its request the Borough Council forwarded a copy of a letter written to the General Manager of Railways on the subject. Inter alia the letter states: ‘’The Borough Council is at a loss to understand why your decision in this matter especially in view of the previous correspondence, which has passed between the Council and your Department. In a letter dated. September lgithi, 1915, the then Minister of Railways not/ified, the Council of the steps taken by the Department to provide (for this .road, and forwarded a plan (No. 22843) in which the scheme laid out provided for a chain wijde road from Easf Street to connect with Station Road at the reair of the station buildings,, with a stipulation .that the Council secured the necessary half .chain stip of land, about 5% chains in 'length, in

order to provide a chain wide road throughout, the Department providing the balance of the land required. In view of- the fact that the Department had moved the station further away from the town in ordefr -to suit its Own convenience, the Council considered that the Department should provide the whole of the land required and a deputation from the Counc.il waited on the ;Rt, Hon. W. F. Massey in Pukekohe!, jon November 18th, .1915, and pointed out to him thej position. Mir Massey at that, interview told the' deputation that he considered the Council’s view

of the matter to be a reasonable one. and promised to make tions accordingly to the Minister of Railways., Shortly atfter that date Mr Massey left New Zealand to go Home to the Imperial Conference, and the Council did nof piush the matter any further at the' time. The question was again raised at a subsequent date, but owing to Mr Massey being again in England in connection with the Peace Conference, the matter was again deferred. In your letter you state that the alterations to -the road in question will be mainly in the interests of the Council,, but wiith this statement we do not agree. In the etvent of the road being put through it will mean an additional length of road to be maintained by the Council, the (responsibility for which, of course, the Council must be prepared 'to accept, but ithe road will be chiefly in the interests of the travelling public, some of Vhom, would of course be Borough \residents., but a large number would he ifrom the wide district outside the Borough' and for whom Pukekohe is the nearest and most convenient station. In view of the (tremendous increase of mota|r traffic which has taken place within recent years, it cannot be justly claimed that the present narrow roadway is Sufficient to carry the traffic it is now called upon to take, and my Council trusts that the Department will see its way clear to proceed with .the widfening of the road without further unnecessary delay.” 7 Signed J. IF .Deane Town Clerk. Councillors concurred with the opinion that the present road was dangerous, and on the motion of Crs Wilcox and Woodls the (/ouncil’s request was acceded to. the jclerk to write .the Minister of Railways and member for the district advising of the County Council’s support of the Borough’s representations.