WHIROKINO ROAD DEVIATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3669, 23 July 1927, Page 2

WHIROKINO ROAD DEVIATION.

“W|E HAVEN’T THE MONEY.”

Some years ago the Manawatu County Council decided to deviate the Whirokino road in order to avoid an angle, part of which ran parallel with the Government drain which it crossed at a “skull and crossbones” bend. This portion of the road is formed on what is known as a “floating surface” and is subject to subsidence and flooding and thereby impassible at such times for traffic, thus cutting Foxton off from communication with the south. The Council purchased a strip of high land which was surveyed and approved by the Highway Board for the new road and everything was in readiness to construct -the thoroughfare, but the work, for some reason or another was shelved. The local Chamber of Commerce called the attention of the Council to the matter and pointed out the prepidicial effect the holding up of this work was having upon Foxton and the inconvenience and extra expense caused to the travel-, ling public by having to travel an extra fifty miles. It is true that the proposed deviation will. still leave about half a mile of the road leading to the Whirokino bridge subject to overflow water, but this can be remedied by raising the road level.

When the subject was brought up at this week’s meeting of the Manawatu County Council, the chairman said: “We haven’t the money” and it was decided “that the matter would be giveu consideration when money w;as available.” This reply is.evasive and unsatisfactory and while it must be admitted that the Manawatu County appear to be faced with difficulties in their road construction schemes, something more definite should be asked for ■by the public at this end and it is to sufficient importance to justify the Mayor in convening a public meeting and to -invite the Chairman of the County to discuss the matter.