SECOND MAIN STREET.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 553, 30 July 1920, Page 2

SECOND MAIN STREET.

One of the weaknesses of Pukekohe as at present ronded is that it is in danger of remaining a "one street town," that street, of course, being King Street. We have seen the disadvantage of this formation in many towns in New Zealand in the form of one long bedraggled looking strec-1 and a hick of cohesion and concentration. Auckland city is an example in point, Karangahape Road taking the plntfe of what should have been a second main thoroughfare running parallel with Queen Street. Hut the means exist in Pukekohe of rectifying this malformation. We understand that the owners of the property lying behind Mr. W. J'oulston's triangular strip of land fronting Hall Street and bounded rty Harris Street and Manukau Road are intending to cut the block up and run a road through from Harris Street, turning at right f.ngles and going through to Manukau Road. In our opinion this scheme could be altered with advantage both to the owner of the property and to the borough. If a road were put straight through from Manuka'u Road, starting alongside the Premier Hall and continuing through Graham's and Roulston's respective properties to Hall Street the result would be decidedly beneficial to the town. Traffic could then have the choice of coming from West Street on to King Street and turning down Queen Street, Edinburgh Street or Hall Street towards the station, and vice versa. This would not only relieve congestion in King Street, but would lessen the amount of traffic and the attendant danger on the corner where King Street continues round by the Pukekohe Hotel and merges into Manukau Road opposite the bridge over the railway. Also, the need for a new bridge over the railway direct from King Street would not be nearly so urgent. In any ease, owing to the shortage and high cost of materials, and the objection of engineers to the building of a bridge on an angle, or diagonally/ it is likely that weighty opposition will have to be overcome before such a bridge will be sanctioned. The authorities are significantly silent lately on the subject of that particular proposed bridge. However, bridge or no bridge, there is now an oppotunity which, with tactful and prompt handling, may be turned to the advantage of the town for all time. Business blocks with proper access are required, and will become increasingly necessary during the next few years, and therefore we hope wise counsels will prevail.