The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 1922. A CONNECTING LINK.
Many people in Taranaki are under the impression that within a year the Lower Awakino deviation will be finished, and the greatest handicap to free inter-communica-tion between Taranaki and Auckland, the awful Taumatamaire hill, thus removed. They will sustain something of a shock, therefore, when they read our special commissioner’s remarks upon the work, printed elsewhere in this issue. As the result of a careful inspection of the works recently, he affirms that at the present rate cf progress it will be mapy years before the road is through. There remains, it appears, a great deal to be done, and the present machinery and staff are quite inadequate, if the work is to be completed in a reasonable period. The present steam shovel cannot cope with the work; it has been out of commission during most of the time it has been on the road. Another and more efficient mechanical shovel is urgently required, as well as more labor to clear the way for the shovels and to do the excavating and forming required. The difficult parts of the work have already been done. Most of the rock cuttings are out of the way, or only require widening and clearing. The tunnel, the “magnus opus” of the road, is through, whilst most of the work at the northern end is finished or nearing completion. Our commissioner suggests putting on another hundred men and a second mechanical shovel. The labor is available, and it should not be difficult to transfer a steam shovel from some less important work for the few months it would be required on this road. The importance of pushing this road through by the end of the year cannot be over emphasised. It is the vital link connecting Taranaki province with the Auckland province, doing away, as it will, with the tortuous and dangerous Taumatamaire hill, the bug-bear every one compelled to use it. In this matter the interests of the northern province and Auckland are common, and we trust the representative bodies of each will bring pressure to bear upon the Government to have this urgent and important work accelerated and completed this year. There should, of course, be no need For applying pressure of any kind; ir. surely should be good business for the Government to push the work through expeditiously, but it has already taken many years to do what has been done, and it would be suicidal to allow things to go on at the same unsatisfactory rate. The bridging of the Mokau is another urgent work that might advantageously be stressed at the same time by representatives of both provinces. We do not suppose there is a river on another arterial road in the Dominion which in these days remains unbridged. This is the main arterial road to Auckland, and a punt is still doing service. What this means to stock owners may be conjectured. At Awakino last Saturday one prominent settler estimated that the settlers had already easily lost the cost of the bridge. We believe that the losses sustained by the farmers through there being no bridge would have paid for the work three times over. The time has surely arrived when a commencement should be made with this important and urgent work, and we trust strong overtures will be made to the Government to put it in hand without delay. It is pleasing to record that the Public Works Department is pushing ahead with metalling Mount Messenger, the other obstacle on this road, and good work has been done, and is being done, and there is reason to believe that the worst parts of
the hill on the other side (this side i-j finished) will be metalled before winter sets in. We hope the Department will continue the metalling right on to Awakino. Metal deposits have been found up the Okau Valley, and with the fleet of motor lorries, and the efficient staff of men now employed, it should not be long before the road is turned over to the County Council in first-class order. Then, with the Mokau bridged, the Lower Awakino Road completed, the settlers of the back districts will bq able to get out their stock to the freezing works at a minimum of expense and in good condition; they will be brought closer in touch . with their natural centre and outlet, New Plymouth, whilst motor communication between the provinces, now so much restricted because of the various handicaps, will be as easy as it will be enjoyable, for there can be no more interesting and picturesque run in the whole length and breadth of the Dominion.
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Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1922, Page 4
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781The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 1922. A CONNECTING LINK. Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1922, Page 4
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