THE MAIN HIGHWAY.

Shannon News, 3 August 1928, Page 3

THE MAIN HIGHWAY.

LEVIN-FOXTON SECTION.

SHORTEST ROUTE NORTH

A correspondent writes as follows to *a Wellington paper:— Sir, —After a" tour from Auckland to Wellington I am bound to say that one of the, worst pieces of road that we struck was between Foxton and Levin. This road b ■ narrow in parts, covered With loose river metal, and the general condition of the road is abominable. 1 was told at Levin that the Highways Board was spending-Jarge sums of money between Levin and Palmerston N., via Shannon'.' Truly this is moat surprising, if true. The Levin-Foxton main road is the shortest and best route for traffic between Wellington and Wanganui, Taranaki and Auckland, and it. is indeed strange-to see it being neglected, and the longer'and less generally used r,oad having ""such a large expenditure on it. Can it be possible that it is Palmerston North influence again? The short and direct route between Wellington and Wanganui and the north through Bulls would divert the traffic from Palmers tor?' North perhaps, but it would benefit' the travelling' public. Some of us can remember how the influence of Palmerston North blocked so effectively the Levin-Barton railway project, and now it looks as if the same game were being played. The question is: Will the motor public have 17 miles added to their journey between Wellington and-'•Wanganui in order that the" traffic may go through Palmerston North? That is the question that the motor associations should consider. To an outsider and one who is entirely impartial in the matter, h appears that the road between Levin and Foxton over the Wirokino Bridge should be improved before the Shannon Road was dealt with. This would have been in (he public interest, without a doubt. One cannot but be surprised that the Highway Board does not lecognise this and act accordingly. HIGHWAYS BOARD'S EXPLANATION. The above letter was submitted to the Highways Board, which replied'as follows: — "The road between Foxton and Levin is reported to be in reasonably good order, although, of course, it cannot compare in condition with the adjacent sect.ion in 'the Horowhenua. County, which ha 3 b«n recenlty reconstructed at heavy expense.

The Levin-Foxton section is- an integral part of. the Auckland-Welling-ton via Tavanaki Main Highway as declared under 'the Main Highwa;f> scheme, and as such is regarded by the Main Highways Board in the same light as by the coircspondent. There is a definite scheme tj surface with-bitumen the main highways.in the Horowhenua County. The length between Levin and Wa-ikanae lias been almost jompleted. The portion of road : between-Levin and Wiioldno Bridge isalso in (he M'hediilc, but it is'obvious •that all sections cannot be attended to at once.

. it is true that certain work has been •commenced on the Levin-Shannon settlor, of the Levin-Pahnerston X. main highway, but it Jnust be remembered that the Main Highways Board and tinmotorists are not the only to the co>t of improvement of main highways. The ratepayers- of Horowhenua County have found a substantial sum towards the leconstructioli of th<main Highways within their county, and to many "of those ratepayers the Levin-Shaun.cn section is of much more importance than »t.'ho Leviu-Wirokuio Bridge section. Moreover, the Levin Shannon section is an important link in a direct route from Wellington tc Napier. For these leasons work has been commenced «nt the Levin-Shannon section before the Levin-Wirokiiu Bridge section. The'suggestion of the eorrespondeir, that influence from Palmerston North is responsible for the manner'in which the vaiious works are being undertaken, and for the order in which they are being undertaken, has no basis in fact.