WELLINGTON TO WANGANUI HIGHWAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3825, 31 July 1928, Page 3

WELLINGTON TO WANGANUI HIGHWAY.

■« A COMPLAINT AND AN EX-

PLANATION,

A correspondent “Austin” to the Dominion states that, “after a tour from Auckland to Wellington I am bound to say that one of the worst pieces of road that we struck was between Foxton and Levin. This road is narrow in parts, covered with loose river metal, and the general condition of the road is abominable. I was told at Levin that the Highways Board was spending large sums of money between Levin and Palmerston North, via Shannon. Truly this is most surprising, if true. The Levin-Foxton main road is the shortest and best route for traffic between Wellington and Wanganui, Taranaki and Auckland, it is indeed strange to see it being neglected, and the longer and loss generally used road having such a large expenditure on it. Can it he possible that it is Palmerslon North influence again? The short and direct route between Wellington and Wkngamii and the north through Bulls would divert the traffic from Palmerston North, perhaps, hut it would benefit the travelling public. “The question-is: Will the motoring public have 17 miles added to their journey between Wellington and Wanganui in order that the traffic may go through Palmerston North? That is the question that the motor associations should consider. “To an outsider and one who is entirely impartial in the matter, it appears that the road between Levin and Foxton over the Whirokino Bridge should be improved before the Shannon Road was dealt with. This would have been in the public interest without a doubt. One cannot hut he surprised that-the Highway Board does not recognise ibis and aet accordingly.” The above letter was submitted to (he Highways Board, which replied as follows: — “The road between Foxton and# Levin is reported to he in reasonably good order, although, of course, it cannot compare in condition with the adjacent section in the Horowhenua County, which lias been recently reconstructed at heavy expense. The Levin-Foxton section is an intesrral part of the Auckland-Wel-lington via Taranaki Main Highway as declared under the Main Highways scheme, and as such is regarded hv the Main Highways Board in the same light as by (he correspondent.

There is a definite scheme to surface with bitumen the main highways in the Horowhenua County. The length between Levin and Waikanae has been almost completed. The portion of road between Levin and Whirokino Bridge is also in the schedule, hut it is obvious that all sections cannot he attended to at once.

It is true that certain work has been commenced on the LevinShannon section of the Levin-Pal-merston North main highway, but it must he remembered that the Main Highways Board and the motorists arc not the only contributors to the cost of improvement of main highways. The ratepayers of Horowhenun connlv have found a substantial sum towards the recinstruction of the main highways within their county, and to many of (hose ratepayers the Levin-Shan-non section is of much move importance than the Levin-Whirokino Bridge section. Moreover, the Le-vin-Shannon section is an important link in a direct route .from Wellington to Napier. For these reasons work has been commenced on the Levin-Shannon section before the Levin-Wirokino Bridge section. The suggestion of the correspondent, that influence from Palmerston North is responsible for the manner in which the various works are being - undertaken, and for the order in which they are being undertaken, has no basis in fact.