The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1905. THE SOUTH ROAD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7864, 5 July 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1905. THE SOUTH ROAD.

The important suggest ion which the Taranaki County Council's engineer (Mr J. .Skinner) submitted , ' la ' body on Monday regarding the ad\isability of deviating Hie South, lioad deserves most favourable eon- | siileralion. For some years past there lias been an agitation in favour of re-grading Allen's, Honeysuckle, Tapuae, Oakura and Watson's Hills, the present grades of which are so excessive that not only is the cost lof repairs a very serious item, but the strain on horses drawing loads is correspondingly greater than should be the case on a main road, besides entailing the provision of more power per load than is necessary on a properly graded route. Mr Skinner lias gone most carefully jiito the matter, with the result that he lias propounded a practical scheme which should commend itself to the settlers and to the Council, especially as it has received the cordial approval of Hie Government road engineer aiiil the chief draughtsman of the Survey Office. It has been a matter of some surprise to tin; more recent arrivals in the district that the present route from New Plymouth ;o Okato was ever chosen for such an important load. Kveiv year sees the difficulties of upkeep and haulage become greater as the volume of traffic increases, and, as Cr. Andrews pointed out, it seems foolish to spend 112110 01 er the Tapuae bridge and its approaches when there was a chance iif Mr Skinner's scheme, involving only an outlay of tlAuil for four miles, brirtg taken up. The proposal is to form a new road from Allen's Hill to near tbe Oakura dairy factory siie, thereby reducing the distance by about a mile, the deviation from Oakura to Okato to start at tlioeast ■•nd of the Timaru Ilill, and, by keeping inland, avoid four steep hills. Possibly, as the chairman pointed out, those settlers who are at prc.Mcnf on that part of the main road which it is proposed to deviate, may oppose the scheme, but un great pubiic improvement is cier carried out without raising dissent. In this case the settlers will not sufier much hardship, as; the present road will remain, and become a district road. Whatever objections may be raised on this head should weigh but little iu the scale as compared wnh the manifest advantages which will accrue to the public generally. The balance is decidedly on the side of the new scheme, which, moreover, will accomplish what is impossible! by attempting to re-grade the present toad, and will do so al less cost. Jlie question is mainly one of finance, and practically resolves itself into tlie raising of a loan, possibly assisted liv a Government subsidy. Mr Skinner lias earned the thanks of the settlers fot attacking a difficult question in such a com-iiioiiM-n.se way, and it .will scarce!* be to the credit of those concerned in the Welfare of the coastal district if the care and pains bestowed on this progressive proposal arc not productive of the benefits which the adoption of the scheme would confer on the travelling public. It is to be hoped that the matter will be considered in a broad spirit, and that every effort will be made to smooth over any difficulties that may be raised during the discussion of the merits or ilemerits of the scheme. Not the least of these benefits was tiic fact that on I lie new road one liorsn would do as much as three on the present route. In fact, on the score of economy both to the settlers and in the cost of maintenance the advantages are so apparent that they need no demonstration. A mistake was made when the road was laid <mt, hut that is no reason for peri prtuating the wrong; rather should jI act as a stimulus to n-medying the wrong wlien, as at present, only the .will to do so is required.