THE STATE OF THE ROADS.

Matamata Record, Volume VI, Issue 475, 27 September 1923, Page 2

THE STATE OF THE ROADS.

MUD AND RUTS. Travellers Delayed. • ! j A Matamata resident who motored 1 through from his town to Walton, ' one day at the beginning of this ' week, has some caustic comments to J make with regard to the road between I these two places. What was once a good metalled road, between Matal.mata and Waharoa, has now become , merely mediocre and unless something is done soon will speedily deteriorate I into' a shocking state of disrepair. ! Possibly, as a result of the heavy . dairy traffic, it now contains two deep ' and well-defined ruts throughout the whole of its course. These ruts in many places have developed into sub-stantially-sized holes, which cause extreme wear and tear to vehicles generally and play havoc with their springs in particular. The Matamata County Council, as far as this road is concerned, would find it advisable to consider the little proverb with regard to a stitch in time saving nine. From Waharoa to the Wardville junction the thoroughfare is but little better and from thence onwards, entering the domain of the Piako County Council, the road through the Wnire're soldiers' settlement can mildly be described as disgraceful. A little dry weather and it is a wilderness of baked mud and ruts—a few wet days and it becomes an almost impassible ocean o!' mire, and this is Dart of the main road to Morrinsville! From Pahl's corner to the Walton railway station it is very patchy, but what was the worst part a few weeks ago—a hundred yards or so in a cutting adjacent to Mr. D. Moroney's farm, is now, thanks to a few loads of metal that have, been deposited there, the best part of the road. Travellers and residents of the Okoroire and Patetere districts generally

; are complaining. Several parties of , travellers have had to stay the night j at the hotel through being unable to I negotiate the roads. There are sevej ral cuttings on the Okoroire Springs I to Station road which are positively j dangerous. A resident stated thai 1 . ■ only a few days' work is required and i there is a pit quite handy. The road from Tc Poi to Okoroire is also ! scarcely passable for motor traffic. Metalling work is now being carI ried out on the Matamata-Peria road ; which will overcome to a large extent the difficulties which usually are met ! with in winter in this locality. This ! road also gives access to the Rocky Downs golf links, and has been very bad through the winter.