BRIDGE OVER PUETO

Taupo Times, Volume III, Issue 146, 12 November 1954, Page 1

BRIDGE OVER PUETO

IMPROVED RROADLANDS-TAUPO ROAD IS URGENT NEED At its meeting on November 3, the Borough Council had before it a letter from the secretary of the Broadlands South Progress League, Mr K. Quigley, seeking the Council's support for efforts to have a new bridge built over the Pueto Stream. Mr Quigley's letter stated that

the present bridge, a temporary one erected some years ago by Afforestation Proprietary Ltd. gave access between Taupo and the Broadlands-Reporoa area by way of the Rotokawa Road, which ran past the Taupo Golf Course and the Lands and^ Survey Department's Tauhara farm .development block and through the Rotokawa afforestation area. The letter stated that the bridge had become unsafe, but that the Rotorua County Council declined to act in the matter. The bridge carried increasing trafffc between the Lands Department's Strathmore and Tauhara Blocks. The route was required by settlers in the Broadlands area to give them access to Taupo. It was understood that if the bridge were built by the Ministry of Works, the Taupo County authority would contribute to the cost, although it could not undertake the work itself, as it had not yet the necessary staff. Cr. K. E. Young stated that he knew the bridge and the route well, and that its replacement would be a big thing both for Taupo and the farming people of Broadlands, who wished to be able to do their shopping and business in Taupo. They would be able also to obtain their fertiliser from Napier, via Taupo and the Rotokawa Road, cheaper than they could at present ex Rotorua. The route should be opened up as a secondary highway.

Cr. K. O. Lewis stated that she knew that Broadlands people wanted to have the road opened to provide them with access to the Taupo Maternity Hospitalr which was actually much nearer to Broadlands than was the Rotorua Hospital. Cr. Currie stated that he had been informed that the Rotorua County authorities had said that a permanent concrete structure only would be considered and that not for some years. It was decided to acknowledge

the letter from the Progress League, assuring it of the Council's support for their request for the new bridge, and to 'write also to the District Engineer, Ministry of Works, Hamilton, supporting the request, a copy of this letter to be sent to Mr A. H. O'Keefe, Taupo County Commissicncr.