LEVIN-WIROKINO MAIN HIGHWAY.

Shannon News, 7 September 1928, Page 3

LEVIN-WIROKINO MAIN HIGHWAY.

REGARDED AS MORE URGENT THAN SHANNON ROUTE.

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT

The publicity recently given in the district papers in regard to the route of the main highway northwards has been brought under the notice of the Public Works Department by Mr J. Linklater, M.P., for Manawatu, who writes to the “Chronicle,” stating that lie felt sure some of the statements were not accurate. He therefore waited upon the officers of the Main Highways Board and has now received the following communication from Mr F. W. Furkert, Under-Secretary for the Public Works Department and chairman of the Main Highways Board:—

“With reference to the newspaper cutting from the Foxton “Herald” concerning which you made enquiries this morning, I have to inform you that the statements contained therein are quite misleading as far as the reference to the Main Ilighwavs Board are concerned.

“The portion of the road betweeu Levin and Wirokino’is a section of the Auckland-Wellington Main Highway and as such its surfacing is regarded by the Main Highways Board as a more urgent matter than the surfacing of the Levin-Palmerston North main highway. “As you are aware, a proposal has been submitted by the Highways Board to the Horowhenua County which provides for the completion of the surfacing between Levin and Wirokino, but which does not provide for the completion of the surfacing between Levin and the northern boundary of Horotvhenua County on the Levin-Palmerston' North Main Highways. Moreover, there is no proposal in sight to surface the portion of the Levin-Palmerston North Main Highway within the Kairanga County.

“With regard to the Manawatu County section of the Auckland-Wel-lington Main Highway between Wirokino and Sanson, the Main Highways Board has made a special offer to the Manawatu County Council which should unquestionably ensure the speedy improvement of this section.

“No announcement has been made by the Main Highways Board that should lead anyone to infer that the Levin-Marton Road will be left alone for five years. “There has never been any suggestion by the Main Highways Board that Wanganui and New Plymouth traffic be diverted through Palmerston North. This is quite evident from the fact that the Board in 1924 selected the route via Levin, Foxton and Sanson to be the main route to Auckland. .

“The statements that influence has been brought to bear on the Main Highways Board to improve the Levin-Palmerston North via Shannon Road in preference to the Auek-land-Wellington Highway are quite contrary to fact.”

The statement obtained from Mr. Furkert by Mr Linklater will be read with xnueh interest, and it. will be hoped that, in view of the importance attached to the Levin-Foxton route, as a link in the main north-south route, the Main Highways Board will make it possible for the County Councils interested to take up the work of construction on the most favourable basis possible under the scheme.