Travelling North

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 46, 17 May 1927, Page 11

Travelling North

The Road and the Prospects

No Definite Policy Yet

A DEFINITE policy in connection with the main road into North Auckland has not yet been decided, hut it is probable that most of the work will be let under contracts, small or otherwise. It is expected that the cost of metalling will he reasonable, and gaps at present unmetalled will he dealt with first, the present metalled portions being then attended to.

TRAVELLING NORTH Two months or so ago the route of the main highway into North Auckland was definitely announced. The fact that it was to go along the East Coast route, and then into the middle of the country brought a momentary brightness into the rather clouded skies of the very many dairy farmers on the route. HEAVY TRAFFIC! The farmers on the route had done their utmost to get the road through there, and those in the vicinity of Warkworth even went to the length of staging a very impressive line of motor traffic, which must have made the touring highway representatives, who

inspected the motor routes a few months ago, wonder whether they had missed Warkworth, and reached Auckland somewhat ahead of schedule. I ATFRT POQITICNI

LATEST POSITION For THE SUN, Mr. J. McEnnis, chairman of the No. 1 Highways District, has prepared the accompanying sketch of the new main highway, together with the notes appearing below. Details were asked for concerning the proposals regarding Waiwera Hill, and what is locally known as Turntable Hill, a mile or two south of Warkworth. I understand that any proposal to take the road round the cliff face, over the sea, at Waiwera, has been abandoned, and a cutting at the top of the Waiwera Hill, and descent into Waiwera by an entirely different route from the present steep and dangerous road has been practically decided on. THE ROUTE Mr. McEnnis writes: “The main north road from Auckland commences a£ Birkenhead, and proceeds through the districts of Albany, Dairy Flat and Silverdale to Waiwera, whence it follows the existing main road to Warkworth, Way by and Wellsford, thence through Topuni Kaiwaka to Maungaturoto. “Maungaturoto being centrally situated, one of the roads gravitates to the west through Paparoa, Matakohe and Ruawai to Dargaville, and another road gravitates east via Waipu Gorge, to Waipu, thence to Oakleigh and Whangarei and the North generally.

METALLED AND OTHERWISE “Along this stretch of road from Birkenhead to Maungaturoto there are many lengths of metalled road, and many lengths of road laid down in sandstone which could be used for many years without being reconstructed to present-day standard. Over this length there is a matter 45 miles without any pretence of metal, and the programme of work will certainly incltide the metalling of the clay portions which would have to be reconstructed up to modern standard. MANY DEVIATIONS

“There would be many deviations along the road, chief of which would be Waiwera hill, where a good grade has been obtained at a moderate cost,

Pohuehue hill near Warkworth, Dome Valley deviation, and various minor deviations to Kaiwaka, and'probably a final deviation from Brynderwyn to Maungaturoto.

“A definite programme of work has not yet been laid down in connection with this road, but the bulk of the work will, of course, be let under contracts, small or otherwise.

“The probable cost of any metal ing schemes will be reasonable.

“It is intended to use as much as possible the good class of sand- • stor.e as a base, and the wearing coat to be made with harder metal. “It is thought that with reasonable maintenance the Waiwera hill could be used until the unmetalled gaps have been metalled, the whole object of the programme being to metal the unmetalled gaps and use any existing portions which can be used all the year round, thereby getting an all the year road through at the earliest possible moment, any improvements to existing metal gaps being left to the end of the programme. “On the rough sketch the black line shows the proposed route from Birkenhead to Maungaturoto, thence to Whangarei pn one side and Dargaville on the other. The dotted line from Paparoa to Maungaturoto is the declared highway, which will be con structed in a few years. The dotted road from Paparoa station to Mangapa? will eventually be the main north road to Whangarei.”

Believing- they were getting something for nothing, motorists at Nunda, N.Y., helped themselves to spilled oil when a railroad wreck occurred, overturning several tank cars. JVluch of the oil was promptly transferred to crankcases of automobiles. The oil, however, was in a raw state, and the natural paraffin in many cases “set” the pistons.