THE UREWERA COUNTRY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9854, 6 November 1924, Page 3

THE UREWERA COUNTRY

ROAD ACCESS '/O AVAIROA

AIR LYSNAR URGES COMPLETION

OF AVORK

WELLINGTON, Nov. 4. AVhilst tlie Public Works Statement was being debated, Mr Lysnar referred to the road connection between AVairoa and the Urewera Country, towards the Bay of Plenty. “There is,” her said, .“an urgent necessity for having that route opened, r.-ot only in the interests of settlement, but. on account cf the tourist traffic that would he attracted there. It is a very grave blot upon our administration that such a fine ton lost ror.se as this is should be r-iorod for the want of a few miles of road. The:e is a. dray road on the R.iafcahuna s.de up the Te AVliiti Valley, within seven or eight miles of Lake V- ailcaromoana. That road’ should be opened to the Lake. If the. Minister ytouxi only construct seven or eight nines of road to connect with the lake, and have some connection across the' Lake- — even if it were only a punt —that route could be used in the summer time. There was some £24,000 -penton the road around the Lake some years ago, prior to the Rignt Hon. Mr. Seel don’s regime, Out she Right Hon. Air. Seddon stopped that expenditure. If that were completed we would have a through route. Ike timber was on the ground for the construction'of the bridges and culverts, but it was allowed to rot. The road lias been nin.de right round the lake, though some portions of \t had now slipped away, and the bridges weie never put in. . ' ‘AYc cannot ask that this work should he completed at once, but 1 am pleased to know that the Minister is proposing to do something by putting in a bridle track. That, at any rate is a. beginning and will do a lot or good. There will not be many links of bridle track required. I hare travelled over the road, and I know its difficulties, but I also appreciate its scenic beauty, which is finer loan any we have anywhere else. At present it is positively dangerous to travel on that road. There is the. old Alaori track for about eight miles, where there are-many difficult places to pass; besides the dangerous slips on the abandoned road around the lake, that wants opening up; but the hulk of the road on the other side to within eight miles of the lake is a splendid dry road, while there is a coach road to the lake, on this side, and just wants connecting. I hope the Minister will see his way to push on with the work, and see that tlie road is opened up, at least,, as a horse track, hu a decent bridle- track.’ Special.