WAHAROA-WARDVILLE ROAD.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 128, 15 April 1926, Page 3

WAHAROA-WARDVILLE ROAD.

DEPLORABLE CONDITION. Cr. Pohleivs Proposal. To Make It a County Road. The deplorable state of the road from the Waharoa’ factories to the Piako county boundary on the Wardville road, was the subject of'discussion at the monthly meeting of the Matamata County Council at Tirau on Friday, the chairman, Cr. J. W. Anderson, presiding. The secretary of the Matamata Chamber of Commerce (Mr. M. F. Lamb) wrote: “ Several residents of the district have asked my chamber to endeavour to draw attention of the parties concerned to the extremely bad state of the road from Waharoa factory to the Piako boundary on the Wardville road. This road receives a fearful pounding from the heavy motor traffic carrying on cream and metal carting. _ Trusting that your council will see its way clear to effect some improvement.” Cr. J. Pohlen explained that several heavy lorries were licensed -for carrying milk from Piako county into the Matamata county. Were it not for the lorries the road would be in good condition. At present the Matamata county collected all the license fees, and the riding had to make good the damage. He had enquired from the Piako county as to their method, and he had found that for special purposes like this, the county refunded to the riding. This, he suggested, should be done in this case. He was not asking for favours, but when all the facts of the case were considered he thought they would agree that some- . thing should be done. It was not the riding traffic which was doing the damage, but the lorries licensed by the county. There were four lorries altogether. Cr. H. Rollett thought the request was a fair one, as the portion of the road in question had been a source of expense since be had been on the council Cr. Pohlen added that over £3OO had been spent on the road last year, but the riding could not stand the expense required for its upkeep. The clerk thought that it was illegal to hand county funds to riding account, as was suggested. The chairman expressed the opinion that the. best way out of the difficulty was to declare the mile of road a county road. Cr. S. H. Judd suggested that Cr. Pohlen give notice of motion to that effect. Cr. C. S. Cox agreed, expressing the opinion that care would have to be taken that no injustice was done to other ridings. No Tokoroa ratepayers would ever use the road, yet they would have to contribute to it as a county road. Cr. Pohlen then gave notice of intention to move at next meeting that the road from Waitoa-Taupo, about a mile in length, be declared a county road.