KUIRAU STEAM

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 617, 23 August 1933, Page 5

KUIRAU STEAM

A WIDER ROAD improvement of highway at borough boundary urGed A REASONABLE REQUEST The improvement of one of the main approaches to the town by the widening of the Auckland-Rotorua highway between the borough boundary at the Utuhina bridge and Pukeroa Hill was ref erred to the Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. Bitchener) by a deputation from the Rotorua Borough Couiicil last evening. The deputation was led by the mayor (Mr. T. Jackson) who was supported by Crs. F. Goodson and W. H. Wackrow. Mr. Jackson pointed out to the Minister that the present road at this point, was very narrow and that, this fact, taken in eonjunction with the steam clouds which drifted across from the adjacent hot pools in the Kuirau reserve, made it dangerous to traffie. The borough council had been endeavouring f or some time past to obtain a. subsidy from the Main .Highways Board to enable itto widen the road but so far without success. The road would be made very much safer- if it was widened while it would then be possible to plant quick-growing trees along the boundary of the reserve in order to break up the steam clouds. The borough had already done something to minimise the steam trouble but the widening of the road was the most effective remedy. The borough would contribute its share of the cost, but it required a subsidy from the Main Highways Board to enable it to carry out the necessary work. There was only a short length of road involved. "When. we took a run out there this afternoon, I was certainly struck by the fact that the road seemed to be narrow at, that point," said th.e Minister in reply. Mr. Bitchener point ed out that the matter was, one for the Main Highways Board and not his department. He was aware that the board was not granting sudsidies . at present for the widening of roads, but while a matter of principle might be involved, he thought that all cases should be taken on their merits. In this particular case, the cost" wouid be small and he thought that the request might he sympathetically entertained. . He would go into the matter with the chief engineer of the Public Works Department (Mr. C. J. McKenzie) who was also chairman'of the Highways Board, on his return to Wellington.