PALMERSTON-FOXTON ROAD.

Shannon News, 1 April 1927, Page 3

PALMERSTON-FOXTON ROAD.

"IN DISGRACEFUL CONDITION." BUSINESS MEN'S COMPLAINT. The present condition of the Palmerston. North-Foxton Road was adversely commented upon at the meeting of the council of the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce last week. The president (Mr. M. A. Eliott) observed that several rural bus proprietors had recently complained of the bad condition of the trunk roads leading into Palmerston North. That, he jaid, was a matter of vital importance .o Palmerston North which depended for its prosperity to such a large decree on the condition of the arterial highways converging upon it. He suggested advising the Highways Board of -one complaints made and asking that ;che roads be put in the best possible order.

Allegations had been made, said Mr. J. M. Johnston, that some of the Palmerston North retailers were financial,y interested in several of the bus services to the centre, with a view to diverting trade from the smaller towns in this direction. He emphatically voiced his opinion, that not a single ousiness man in Palmerston North was nterested in the manner suggested. "It is unnecessary. Palmerston North has the goods and the range of selection, and people come here of their >wn accord on that account," he stated m giving personal instances. Ho agreed with Mr. Eliott that good roads were esjential to the prosperity of Palmerston North and gave examples within his ,wn knowledge of the truth of that asertion.

Mr. H. Brown alluded to the bad .itate of Foxton Road and suggested hat it be improved by a levy on motor )wners as was done in the case of the vVellington-Hutt Road. By that means i good road could be secured much more iheaply than ;by waiting for the Highways Board to "act. "The corrugations on Foxton Road ire a disgrace," said Mr. Catton. "We hould move in the matter." "Of course we haven't a totalisator it Manawatu Heads as they have at ho Hutt," remarked Mr. Noedl, who idded that the seaside should be an attraction sufficient in itself to warrant i good road. Foxton itself was sufferng from the condition of the road, he bought. It was decided to write to the Manavatu County Council requesting thai he Palmerston North-Foxt.on Road be placed in better order and also o draw i,he attention of the Foxton Chamber jf Commerce to the position.

Mr. J. J. O'Shea, sfationmaster at Palmerston North, deprecated improving the road in costly fashion when it hardly appeared to be warranted by the number of people patronising Foxton beach. The last excursion train there, he observed, had carried only about 40 passengers.