TE MATA PEAK ROAD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 17, 13 October 1937, Page 6

TE MATA PEAK ROAD

3F Development Work Proceeds Satisfactorily OVER 1000 TREES PLANTED Excellent progress with ,;the formation of the new portion of the road up to ihe Peak was Teported at the quarterly meeting of the Te Mata Park Trust Board yesterday by tke chairman, Mt F. E. Smith. In other directions, too, tke development of tkis popular xeserve kas continued apace and well over 1000 shrubs and trees wero planted out during the period under xeview. Eeporting oa the road constructional work, Mr Smith said that until last Thursday 12 men had completed nine full days' work and had made excellent progress. A large quantity of explosives had been used owing to the fact that at one point, near the trig station, it had been necessary to blast a"way considerable areas of rock formation." However, he was hopeful that rather less explosives would be required for the future. Appreciatioh of the assistances giv•B the board by Mr E. L. Cullen, M.P. and the Commissioner of Jfnemployment, was voiced by the chairman, and it vras deeided to extend to Mr Cullen sa invitation to inspect the park during the progress of the work. •'The funds of the board are going to be ftdly taxed in order to have this work completed," he said. "Indeed, it is possible that we might not have suf* ficient funds in hand to complete the work and that the work will have (to cease when funds Tun out. Still, at tKf present rate, I am very hopei*al that the work will be completed." It was reported that the work arranlea at the last meeting had been carried through . during the qtfarter. Some 20 decorative trees, with suitahle guard railings surrounding them, had been planted neax the first tu.rn-table ftTid would considerahly improve the appearance of hill slopes in this locality, In addition, 480 native trees had boea planted out in the "Webb's block ^ (J50 assorted and native trees had been planted to replace those -whicb had been lost or destroyed owing to the very dry season experienced last year. Of this latter total 100 of the trees were donated by "Webb's Nurser* i«e, to whom thanks were extend ed. Other work carried out during the past three months included the erection of abont three-quarters of a chain oi railings, or protective fences, on the roadsides at dangerons points of the road, and the construction of a new stile at the cattle" stop. The road had been kept in good or-

der thTOUghout the winter, and it was ple&sing to nofce that it would require very little attention in the *meantime .The meeting discussed at somo length the qnestion of the risk ancl danger involved in traversing the new portion of the road when opened np Thongh at the present time it was not possible to get on to the new portion it would shortly be opened np, but unti! ihe fonndations had properly settled it would be necessaTy for motorists to exercise extreme care. In the interests of the board itself it was suggestecLthat a gate be placed across the road and that a notice be erected intimating that motorists passing through the gate did so at their own risk. However, the matter was adjourned in the meantime,