King Country Chronicle Saturday, December 20th, 1913 MAIN ROAD PROBLEM.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 629, 20 December 1913, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Saturday, December 20th, 1913 MAIN ROAD PROBLEM.

Probably the most important thoroughfare in the district is the Te Kuiti-Mokau road between Te Kuiti and Pio Pio. It carries the whole trnflic of the settlement between the two centres mentioned, and is the only outlet to the railway for such closely-Bottled districts as Aria, Paemako, and Managotaki, in addition to beiii£ the chief avenue of communication between the Taranaki and Auckland provinces. In recognition of the importance of the road the responsibility of metalline it wbb undertaken by (be Government, and during the p:i! ( ten or twelve years about sixteen mile:-- of metal has been laid. Unforiunntely for all concerned, a patchwork policy was pursued in respect to metalling, with the result that a great portion of the road is in urgent need of re-metalling. The necessity for re-metalling is partly due to the enormous amount of heavy traffic between Te Kuiti and Pio Pio, but there can be no doubt had proper provision been made for maintenance the condition of the road to-day would ha<re been much better than it is. Moreover, if the road is to be kept open for traffic definite action will have to be taken during the present Beaßon. A stretch of nine miles ib now under the juris* diction of the County Council, and efforts are being made by the Council to induce the Government O undertake some of the re-metalling. A legitimate claim can be made in that direction from the fact that the road was very much out of repair when it was handed over to the local authority, and the cost of re-metal-ling and maintaining it will be a heavy burden on the settlers. However, Government action is proverbially slow and in the interests of the settlers generally definite action should be taken by the Council to cope with the intolerable position which exists. Whether or not Government assistance is obtained for the major work the County Council, as the local governing body of the district, is endowed with the responsibility of maintaining nine miles of the road in a state fit for traffic and no effort has yet been made to satisfactorily determine how that responsibility is to be met. As we have previously pointed out the road is being ÜBedJby settlers both in Waitomo and the adjoining counties. Whatever steps are necessary in order to secure an equitable adjustment of liability for the upkeep of the road should be undertaken without delay. It has been KUKKested that a conference flMouiii he held between the Awaktno am; Waitomo Counties with a view to *n\ i jv at an agreement concerning ' ' matter, but something further ia mxewary. Any contribution for which the Awakino County may be

liable will no doubt be recognised, but before such liability can be assessed the cost of upkeep will require to be demonstrated. No definite plan has yet bsen laid down and no effort made to cope with the work. The suggestion that the road should be allowed to develop into a quagmire in order to force the attention of the Government is not one which will commend itself to the settlers generally. Nothing is to be gained by allowing a bad position to become worse, while the

interests of the settlers are vitally concerned with improved road condition. The County chairman and

officials intend visiting the Aria dis-

trict next week, and advantage ~ might well be taken of tbe opportunity to confer with the settlers of > that district on the matter. It is to be devoutly hoped such a grave responsibility will be recognised and dealt with in a manner befitting the local body controlling such an important district.