PAEROA-POKENO LINE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5088, 14 February 1927, Page 2

PAEROA-POKENO LINE.

GAP STILL UNMETALLED.

POLICY OF INACTIVITY.

So far nothing has been done in the way of completing the metalling of a small section of the PaeroaPokeno main highway a Tew miles beyond .Waitakaruru, and it very much seems as if the'road will become impassable early in the coming winter. Last summer contractors for the Public Works Department did miles of new metalling, but their'activities were stopped by the failure of the department to undertake the formation of a length of new road deviating round a hill and cutting out several curves. The route of the PaeroaF«keno railway crosses the roaa about th's point, and it is stated that the delay is on account of finality not being reached in regard to the actual site of the. crossing. The road has now become of great importance, as is evidenced by the huge amount of traffic it carries, and the delay in the completion of the metalling warrants an explanation and a very strong reason.

Last winter it was asserted by one who should be in a position to know that this section of road had been left unmetalled for the purpose of restricting the amount of traffic, so that the newly made road would not be cut up before it had a chance to consolidate. This was promptly denied by the Public Works Department. The matter is one that the 'Automobile Association and the motorists’ representative on the Main Highways Board should take up immediately for in its prefeent rough state, due ta the lack of grading and forming during the summer months, the road will become impassable in .the first spell of wet weather.