ROAD ON RANGITOTO

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 362, 24 May 1928, Page 12

ROAD ON RANGITOTO

SLIPS ON STEEP GRADE CONSTRUCTION SUSPENDED On account of the possible danger from slips, work on the road to the summit of Rangitoto Island has been suspended until an inspection has been made. The road, which is being constructed by prison labour, under the control of the Rangitoto Domain Board, is now ; four and a-half miles from the j beacon, and has reached the saddle j visible from the city, at an elevation ! of 780 feet above sea-level. The chairman of the Domain Board. Mr. E. Aldridge, reported to the board meeting last evening that the warder in charge of the labour had reported that the slope of the ash cone at the summit was so steep that to make a vehicular road would entail such a long batter that the slips would be very likely in wet weather; and ultimately the wall of the cone itself might shift. It was decided to suspend work at the saddle pending an inspection by the engineer. In the meantime, the permission of the Controller of Prisons is to be obtained to transfer the labour gangs to the route from the wharf to Islington Bay. If the Summit Road is not carried past the 'saddle, tourists will have a climb of 150 feet along the present track to reach the trig station. The fact that blackberry and pinus insignis had obtained a hold near the summit was mentioned by Mr. T. Walsh, who also pointed out that some of the shack-holders were introducing garden flowers, which later would run wild.