BATTLE OF ROUTES.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 255, 20 September 1928, Page 5

BATTLE OF ROUTES.

ROUND BATHE’S FLAT. / Referee Appointed. There were tempestuous words at times when a deputation of Puketurua landowners waited on the Matamata County Council on Friday with reference to securing a metalled road from their farms to the PutaruruWaotu road. Mr. H. G. Bathe acted as spokesman of the deputation and with him were Messrs. J. C. Tomalin and P. F. Karl. Mr. Bathe said they wanted an allweather road to their farms. They had been there 'l6 or 17 years and had got little. Aefe for acre they produced as much butterfat as any part of the Matamata county. He did not know what the financial position was, though he knew rates had gone up. Mr. Tomalin said that in front of Bathe’s and Karl’s the road was in a shocking state and it was impossible to get the cream out. In reply Cr. Darby said the picture was not as bad as was painted. Mr. Bathe had a metalled road from his property through Puketurua to the Putaruru railway station and Mr. Karl was only a short distance away. Two thousand pounds had been spent on metalling the road to the Puketurua factory, which Mr. Bathe had assisted to close. During his time he had got full value for every pound spent. The only reason why the road from Puketurua to the Salvation Army corner was ijot metalled was because of “ poverty.” To metal the road asked for in preference to the Cambridge-Taupo road was not sound policy. Mr. Bathe differed from the views expressed, saying'he was five chains from the metal, and this distance was mostly a bog. He had to put his boys on to keep it in order. In metalling the road asked for they were not cutting out anyone. What they wanted was a short route to Putaruru and not to go wandering around on the Taupo road, which served nobody. The road they asked for was of hard formation, while the other was a swamp road.

High words and interjections followed, during which Cr. Darby obtained from Messrs. Tomalin and Karl the admission that the road asked for might be too costly. The chairman suggested that the works committee meet the riding member and the engineer on the spot and view the roads and that they decide.

Cr. Darby agreed to this suggestion if there were no settlers present, as their presence would only lead to a battle of routes. If anyone else attended Cr. Darby would not be there. Mr. Bathe thought settlers should be there. Eventually, after some further cross talk, Mr. Bathe agreed that no settlers should be present at the meeting, and the chairman’s suggestion was adopted.

Before the deputation retired Messrs. Bathe and Tomalin were given permission to move their fences out in order to clean up their road frontages, subject to the engineer’s approval.