THE OPOTIKI NEWS Monday, July 3, 1939. OPOTIKI-WHAKATANE HIGHWAY

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 202, 3 July 1939, Page 2

THE OPOTIKI NEWS Monday, July 3, 1939. OPOTIKI-WHAKATANE HIGHWAY

Headers were no cloubt very interested in the statement recently published in the Opotiki News of Public Works Department expenditure, by wayi of road vote, in the counties of Whakatane and Opotiki. in the last six years £12.800 of free money was expended in the Opotiki County, compared with £153,293 spent in the Whakatane County. The total amount spent in the Opotiki County, including subsidies was £14,671, as against the Whakatane County figure of £161,760. in both cases the amount spent in the Whakatane County exceeded that expended in Opotiki County by approximately twelve times. An analysis of the actual expenditure would undoubtedly siiow that Opotiki was perhaps not as badly treated as the published figures would indicate. It must be remembered that a great deal of work was done in the Whakatane County on the Jiotonia hill alterations. What the Opotiki people do not like about the expenditure for the current year is that the sum of £25,740 is being expended on highways in close proximity to the Whakatano borough, while the highways dose to Opotiki borough are apparently to remain in their present state for a further indefinite period. No one begrudges the work scheduled for tlie Whakatanei highways, as this lias been overdue, but the question people are asking, is why is Opotiki being Jolt out ? it might be stated by those who do not understand tiic various outlets to this district, that Opotiki is really well off as an expenditure of over £50,600 is to lie made on the OpotikiTe Araroa highway. What is Inst sight of is that the 1 coast highway is used by oulyi a few Opotiki people, the highways which servo the thickly populated parts of the district being well away from the coast highway, which is not yet- a State highway. This highway commences at the Waiawa bridge, not at the borough boundary as many people imagine. The section of main road from the borough to the Waiawa bridge is still under the control of the Opotiki County Council. The coast highway lias been locked upon as a State undertaking for many years, chiefly from a scenic- point ol view, and the building of this roacl lias been quite beyond the resources of the counties concerned. The previous Government promised to complete the road, and an all-weather route was proposed to have been completed several years ago. The present Government also realised that the coastal scenic road would have to be a State undertaking and proceeded to complete the road. It now appears tluit because a large sum of money is being spent cn the coast road that the highways which mainly concern tlie most prosperous parts ol the county arc to he neglected. It lias been previously pointed out that tile district has no direct rail connection and should have been provided! with a good road toi make up the deficiency. Instead, Opotiki has- had to watch districts all over the North Island being provided with luxurious highways, while also possessing the benefit el a railway.

Both the Opotiki-J'aneatua highway and the Opotiki-Matawai highway should have had sections sealed' well before this, hut- there is not the slightest indication that- even the shortestsection is to be sealed in the next nine months. Apart from other reasons. Opotiki highways deserved better attention, as in the last six years over a million sheep have been taken over the highways, by foot- and by motor truck, besides well over a hundred thousand head of cattle, and thousands of head ol pigs and calves. Farmers along the highways have bad their pastures adjoining the highways made most- unpalatable to stock owing to the dust nuisance, which has been endured for many years.

It lias boon stated that tho Opotiki Nows has lioen unfair in its criticism of tho district member as regards treatment of Whakatane and Opotiki interests. The News still maintains that the district member, by reason of liis advocacy of the Wainui route between Opotiki and Whakatane, lias not been able to give tho hacking of Opotiki’s claims lev improvements to tho existing highway the attention that it deserved and that Opotiki has had to suffer in consequence. The lack of any substantial improvement to the highways mainly concerning this district proves our contention. The News did not criticise in a general sense as has been hinted. Air. -Hultquist is deserving

of the greatest credit for the. able energy he Mias put into the affairs of his electorate and it would he very hard indeed to find another member who would put such energy into locking after the interests of the, electors he represents. Mr. Hultquist dias gone to endless trouble to assist the people of Opotiki in many ways, but when it comes to the highway between Opotiki and Taneatua,. there is little evidence that lie Inis tried to further the representations from the district for. much-needed improvejhcnts. _

The position in connection with the suggested highway via Ohiwa is st-il! rather obscure. The Ohiwa harbour bridge project has been dropped overboard, while the Public Works Department engineers have apparently also decided against the highway lending • to Ohope beach and then through the business, part of the Whakatane borough. It is now suggested that the road should go up the Maraetotara, gorge and this would mean that the read would only skirt the borough, as is practically the case to-day. Whakatanei makes no secret that the whole idea at the hack of a pew highway; is to endeavour to encourage travellers to stop at Whakatane and put the town on the map. According to estimates the new . road would cost anything up to- £250,000. Whereas the route across the mouth of the Ohiwa harbour would, mean a saving in the direct route to Whakatane of about 20 miles, the Maraetotara gorge route via Wainui would save only about 10 miles. At present, those travelling to Rotorua from Gisborne or Opotiki, can save at least eight- miles by travelling across the White Pine hush road and this route is now favoured by nearly all travellers. On the journey to Tauranga nearly two miles is saved by travelling direct to Matata through the. White Pine Bush road and thence following, the railway. It has been pointed out in previous articles that- the direct traffic; between Opotiki and Whakatane is very small indeed and that- in the event of an alternative highway being made the hulk of the traffic will still continue to use the existing highway, this traffic including service, cars. ft might he said that there would he a considerable saving in benzine to motorists using the shorter route', but- is c-an he said against this that, wore £250,000 invested, the interest from this sum would he sufficient to supply every motorist in Opotiki with free benzine indefinitely. The News still contends that there is not the- slightest justification for the expenditure' of a large sum of money oin a new route, which at the most will only be of benefit to tourists. The .existing Wainui road can be improved at no great expenditure and would bo available to anyone wishing to travel via Ohope. under good travelling conditions. (u a recent letter, published in the Opotiki News, Mr. T. G. Johnson refers to the saving in distance, between Opotiki and Tauranga being something like thirty miles. Our correspondent- obviously referred to the suggested re-ute across the mouth oi the Ohiwa ha i hour and across lan rail ga harbour. Taking the shortest route at present available and comparing it- with the Wainui route as now suggested. Mr. Johnson will find the actual saving will be under twenty miles. It also has to be remembered that- the existing Opotiki-Tunea-tua highway can be shortened by nearly two miles. The suggestion of a bridge across the Tauranga harbour is a very, sound one and the circumstances there are very different from those obtaining in this district. 4he stateinent supposed t-o have been made by the Hon. 11. Semple that failing a road being built- over Ohiwa harbour, a roacl would have' to be found inland does not agree with newspaper reports of M'r. Semple’s remarks. It was less than two years ago that Mr. Semple visited the districts. According to. the Bay of Plenty Press report, Mr. Semple, said he would not spend sixpence on the road lie liad just- travelled over and that he had instructed his engineers to prospect- a. direct route for the main highway between Whakatqnc and Opotiki along the coast and by bridge, across the Ohiwa harbour, v He definitely premised these settlers that be would instruct bis engineers to. prospect also a route from Wainui to connect with this main highway. No mention was made of a route for the highway further inland.

Mr. Hultquist strongly supported the Wainui route which was so strongly condemned by Air. Semple. J he Wainui route was also supported by a number of Cabinet ministers brought to the district by Mr. Hultquist. who arranged the itineraries .so that these ministers all travelled over the present highway during darkness and l thus

Tfil! fTaneiitua-Opotiki section. ' it appears to be fairly certain that in the event of a new highway being constructed, it will not pass directly through the Whakatane borough, and this is the accepted practice in every country to-day, the object being to; by-pass the traffic and do away with any likelihood of' congestion in the streets. The Maraetotara route- will not please some of the Whakatane people, but Opotiki is in practically the same position as traffic only needs to skirt the residential area here on the route between Whakatane and Gisborne.