HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 524, 29 November 1928, Page 16

HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS

MAIN BOARD ON TOUR NO RETROSPECTIVE PAYMENTS (Special to THE SUN) THAMES, Wednesday. A definite statement that the Main Highways Board could not make retrospective payments toward the cost of loans raised by local bodies, before it assumed office, was made by Mr. C. J. McKenzie, acting-chairman of the board, to a deputation at Thames. In requesting that a piece of road between Thames and Auckland he declared a main highway, the Mayor of Paeroa, Mr. W. Marshall, asked if the board would make a special arrangement for assisting the payment of the cost of loans raised before it assumed office. Mr. C. J. McKenzie said similar requpests were being received from all parts of the Dominion. He could definitely say the board could not make retrospective payments of the nature suggested. He promised consideration of a further request for the classification of borough highways in the second schedule limited to eight-ton vehicles. The board subsequently promised consideration of requests from Thames motorists, which included prevention of the serious flooding of the main highway between Auckland and Thames through the periodical overflow of the Maungatawhiri and Mangatangi streams, the urgent need of the immediate erection of a traffic bridge over the Piako River at Pipiroa, in the Hauraki Plains, steps to prevent the serious flooding of the main highway between Thanles and Paeroa by the periodical overflow of the Kirikiri stream, the necessity for the early completion of the metalling of the road between Tapu and Whitianga. On Tuesday the members of the Main Highways Board visited Coromandel and held an informal meeting with the chairman and members of the Coromandel County Council. A deputation from Whitianga discussed a proposal in connection with the projected new wharf there, which will first be considered by the Public Works engineers, and a reply forwarded. The chief item of discussion was the council’s urgent need for increased monetary assistance in putting the Coromandel-Whitianga Road into a good workable condition, which is estimated to cost £3,000. The claims of the Coromandel-Colville-Port Charles Road, to be declared a main highway, were also emphasised. The chairman of the council, Mr. S. James, urged an increase of the board’s subsidy to £3 for £1 for expenditure on that part of the Thames Coast Road within Coromandel County. A very sympathetic hearing was accorded the council. Mr. McKenzie and the others of the party said they fully realised the urgent main roading needs of the county, and promised careful consideration of them. The party left this morning for Tauranga.