PAEKAKARIKI ROAD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2047, 28 October 1919, Page 3

PAEKAKARIKI ROAD.

The Paekakariki Hill was the subject of a short discussion at the meeting, of the Manawatu sub-pro-vincial branch of the farmers Lnion held’at Palmerston on Saturday afternoon. The matter was brought' up by the following remit from the Foxton branch: —“That in view ot the Government spending so much money on Paekakariki Hill road, which will l)e a continual expense and danger to keep open for Ira Hie from slips, the Government he asked to make a lower level road, and although the first cost will he great, yet the animal cost of upkeep and the short distance to keep would more than pay interest in I lie outlay and make a safe road for the tnivelling public.” # Mr B. G. Gower, in moving the motion, produced plans of a proposed deviation of the route, Mr 0. P. Lynch suggested that Foxton should lie asked to'withdraw the remit. They were all anxious that the lower road from Pukevua lo Plimmerton should he constructed, hut so far as he could see it would he 20 years before it could he finished. In the meantime nothing should he done to stop the Government spending the £4,000 allocated for the improvement on the Paekakariki road, which would he required for all time. Some very good work was being done (here which,wuuld considerably lessen the danger of the road. The old road would always he required as a slock route, ami also for the convenience of the settlers. It would he better to urge the Government to go on with the work and make the road safe for traffic. They would then have the benefit of the lop road while the deviation was in course of construction.

Mr B. G, (rower feared that the Government might stop the work if they were not encouraged to go on. ilr E. McDonald said he understood that there was some difference of opinion between the Public Works Department and the Railway Department on (he question of the deviation of the railway, and he was afraid that obstacles were put hi the way the work might ho Stopped. Mr J. Balsillic pointed out that the sum of £3,000 had been put on the Estimates for the improvement of the Paekakariki road, to he subgidisetf'by a similar amount from the local bodies. Th remit was then withdrawn, and the following motion was curried — “That the Government be urged to impi’ove the Packakariki Hill road to make jt as reasonably safe as practicable until such time us a road can be majle upon a lower level.”

On the motion of Mr Balsillie it M-as further resolved:—“That the executive of the Farmers’ Union convene a conference of all local bodies, town boards, borough councils, and others interested to consider the question of the improvement of the present Paekakariki Hill road.”