HIGHWAY TO AUCKLAND.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5094, 4 March 1927, Page 1

HIGHWAY TO AUCKLAND.

DELAY IN METALLING.

NOTHING BEING DONE.

What has happened to the Main Highways Board ? Its operations an the portion of the Paeroa-Pokeno section o'f the highway a few miles beyond the Hauraki Plains County boundary do not redound to its credit in the opinion of motorists. As constructional agents for t,he board the Public Works Department undertook the formation of this Government road, and let a contract for its metalling. When only about * mile remained to be done the metalling contractors caught up to the formation work, which had ceased, and all progress was held up. Many months have since passed, and nothing lias been done, and now it seems unlikely that anythingcould be done before next summer. Traffic will probably lie held up all winter by this one short section of unmetalled road. Had tlie road been graded up and the water-tallies attended ta during tne line weather the highway would have been passable 'for a much longer period, for the deep ruts formed during the Christmas rains are still in existence, acting as water channels and becoming deeper every wet day. During last week-end many cars were bogged and had to be assisted out, cif holes.

Attention should also be given in tlie near future to the low-lying section of the highway through Mangatawhiri Valley, where flooding occurs with every heavy rainfall. In the opinion of settlers of the locality it, would be an easy matter to prevent the flooding once an agreement was reached between the numerous parties interested. The matter is serious, as even with the little rain experienced last. Sunday the road was flooded 'for a long distance on an average depth of nine inches. With the whole width of the road submerged it is difficult to keep to the shallowest part and very easy to get into one of the deep holes at, the edge of the metal.

The improved means of communicatiCin with Auckland inaugurated since the improvement to the route are of benefit to the people of tjie district, and a greater benefit will be derived when the roads are passable all tlie year round, as there will then be a good chance of getting mails and newspapers hours earlier than at present.