Mill seeks answers to transport problem

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 29, 20 December 1983, Page 12

Mill seeks answers to transport problem

The possibility of Taihape becoming an accommodation centre for the Winstone Samsung Pulpmill at Karioi is unlikely. It had been reported elsewhere that the company's managing director, Mr Klas Kronqvist had been approached by the Taihape Borough Council to consider the advantages — including an updated directory of clubs and other organisations — of establishing a housing centre in that town for employees at the mill. Mr Kronqvist replied saying that transport costs which had to be provided for employees on shift work amounted to a heavy annual expenditure and asked the Taihape Borough Council if they had some ideas about how this problem could be soived.

At the present time most of the employees at the mill live in Ohakune and Raetihi and a 45-seater bus is used to transport shift workers between the mill and those two towns on a regular basis three times a day. A few employees do live in Taihape and, as a result of an historical legacy when the mill moved from a constructional to an operational phase, the company continued to transport them to and from the mill. But not enough employees live in Taihape and work all three shifts to justify a regular bus service at the present time — transport is provided on an ad hoc basis when required. Before considering any additional housing in Taihape it is this problem of transport that the borough

council is being asked tjgfe suggest a solution to by tl^P company. (Note: the distance between the mill and Ohakune is 10 miles (16km) with another 7 miles (I2km) to Raetihi making a total of 1 7 miles (28km). The distance between the mill and Taihape is 25 miles (40km).