WANGANUI RIVER

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 191, 2 November 1927, Page 2

WANGANUI RIVER

ARRANGING THE SERVICE The special committee set up to eon-1 sider the difficulties of the Wanganui l River service, and to recommend » policy in regard to the portion of th» river between Taumarunui and Tt Maire, has issued what must be considered a just decision on the matter, but it will not be received by Taumarunui with unmixed joy. The committee passed a resolutior recommending that the Government be urged to complete the roads from Raurimu to Retaruke, and from Taumam* nui to a point three miles above Retaruke, as soon as possible; and that pending the completion of these twt roads, the River Trust expenditure between Taumarunui and Retaruke bt limited to absolutely necessary mail* tenance work. In a subsequent conference with the Hon. K. S. Williams, Minister of Public Works, in regard to the roads giving access to the Retaruke landing the Minister promised to look at the Raurimu route as soon as possible, and considered it might be made ai all-weather road this season. As to the River Bank Road, be tweet Taumarunui and Retaruke, he staf* that the necessary expenditure of £IO,OOO to £. 13.000 on the Mangaohutu portion could not Ine entertained at present. Mr. Williams inquired of the committee if it was not possible for the boats to work this portion o: the river for some time longer, and vniU assured that the water was good, and there would be no difficulty in doing so. Summing up, the Minister said as soon as the Te Maire bridge wai finished, about next January, the wort on the Mangaohutu section of River Road would be* gone on wiu steadily. He would make no rwt promises, but would inspect the roi» himself this summer. The early completion of .Jr Raurimu-Retaruke route will possinc affect Taumarunui’s tourist trm> which has been one of the big i* * tures in the town’s prosperity. * ill-effect can be offset only b> completion of the River Road, BJHI . continuance of the present boat sevice direct to the town.