WEST COAST ARTERIAL ROAD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2707, 13 March 1924, Page 2

WEST COAST ARTERIAL ROAD.

— COUNTY Councils recommend to the Highways Council the roads under their jurisdiction which shall he main highways. The Council cither adopts or rejects such recommendations. The roads within a borough area are not, we are informed, concerned in the main highways scheme. The county councils throughout this province have made their recommendations. The Shannon Chamber of Commerce sent the following resolution to the Palmerston X. Chamber which was considered a! its lust meeting: “That this chandler considers that the main arterial road should take the most direct line from Wellington to Palmerston North and thus make Palmerston North the junction for New Plymouth, Napier, Masterton and Te Kuiti.” The letter added that there was a likelihood of the road deviating from Levin via Eoxton on to New Plymouth, and cutting out Palmerston North, thus making the distance from Wellington to Palmerston North and East Coast towns much longer. In addition such a. route would he through a lot of -por-cly populated and poor country as far as Marlon ■ —a. distance of fit) miles. In commenting on the Shannon letter the president of the Palmerston North Chamber said that to him the premier question appeared to be that of distance and directness. Personally, he thought that the line the main arterial road should take should be from Palmerston North to Longburn, where a. traffic bridge could he erected over the river, and a road formed to Linton, Thence the route could lead to Shannon and Koputuroa, Urns leaving almost a straight run on to Paekakariki. A committee was set up to report on the matter. As we have previously pointed out the direct and shortest arterial route from Wellington along the west coast northward is via Levin, Eoxton and Sanson and a diversion as suggested would never be seriously considered by the Highway Council.