Despite the problems with flooding on Pakowhai Rd, the Main Highways Board decided in 1926 to designate Pakowhai Rd, via Farndon, a main highway to Napier from the south.
One gentleman who had lived on Pakowhai Rd for 11 years, pointed out in 1926 that when Pakowhai Rd flooded it was closed for weeks at a time, and when the flood waters did recede, the road covered with silt made it almost impassable.
The Hawke’s Bay County Council with its local knowledge of Pakowhai Rd flooding preferred a traffic route through Havelock North (Napier Rd) or Hastings (Karamu Rd). These were not acceptable to the Main Highways Board based on their cost. A route through St Georges Rd was instead proposed by the council.
Pakowhai Rd residents were not at happy about the St Georges Rd option and planned a protest meeting. Convener George Purvis stated flooding “is just a bogey held out against the Pakowhai Rd. Once the bridge at Whakatu is lengthened there will be no further trouble with the Ngaruroro.”
William Tucker, representing the Clive Riding on the Hawke’s Bay County Council, wanted the Karamu or Napier Rd route as Clive residents did not want pay for a road through the often flooded area of Pakowhai.
The protest meeting went around in circles, with a claim that St Georges Rd flooded more than Pakowhai Rd. Hastings was adamant however – Karamu Rd must be the main highway.
Farmers and orchardists were in favour of Pakowhai Rd being made into a main highway, and the sealing of its dirt track.
The Hawke’s Bay County Council in August 1926 voted 6 to 4 in favour of St Georges Rd as the main highway. The cost of making Pakowhai Rd flood-free was too much.
However, when A E Jull, the Hawke’s Bay County Council’s representative on the Main Highways Board returned from their meeting in Wellington in late August 1926, Pakowhai Rd was confirmed by them as the main highway route. The Main Highways Board claiming no knowledge of St Georges Rd route as an option.
Pakowhai Rd residents, however, were kept waiting for the road to be sealed.
Nothing would happen quickly, and Pakowhai settlers would be at the back of the roading queue as far as the Hawke’s Bay County Council was concerned. (As part of Pakowhai Rd was in the Hastings area, and part in the county’s – this was not helpful to agreement of commencing the work.)
Motorists speeding along Pakowhai Rd to attend the Greenmeadow races at Napier Park was a major problem for Pakowhai residents, with vehicles throwing up clouds of dust. In addition, summer gales blew dust into houses, and on orchard fruit.
The Hawke’s Bay County Council tried to prosecute those speeding on Pakowhai Rd from a bylaw created under the Motor Car Regulations Act 1902. They set a speed trap in March 1928 over 62 chains (1.25km).
Cars were timed from a beginning mark to an end one on Pakowhai Rd, and if they exceeded the time it should have taken to travel at the legal speed limit ‒ they were caught in the speed trap.
Seven men were caught by the trap according to the county and charged (all of whom were well-known Hastings citizens). They defended the charges. The judge would dismiss the cases on the basis of the time taken to prosecute was longer than two months, and that a fob chain watch had been used for the timings – not a stopwatch.
In 1930, a plea was once again made to the Hawke’s Bay County Council from Pakowhai Road residents to seal the road.
However, the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake removed any hope for the sealing of Pakowhai Rd, with many roads (and bridges) damaged or wrecked needing urgent repair.
Dust blown from Pakowhai Rd onto orchard fruit was a major problem as it was still not sealed in 1935. Frustrated and angry orchardists make representations to the Hawke’s Bay County Council to seal the road.
At the end of 1936 with no progress, and with the election of the first Labour government occurring in November 1935, Pakowhai Rd fruitgrowers appealed directly to the government.
Bob Semple, its Minister of Public Works, came to Napier in November 1936 to try and thrash the matter out.
He was driven down Pakowhai Rd and stated he had “a rattling time”.
“That road ought to be put right. It is a disgrace to Hawke’s Bay.”
Bob Semple and Hawke’s Bay County chairman Frank Logan – two men who could resolutely stand their ground - faced off in over the issue at the county offices in Napier.
It was the animated and colourful Bob versus the more rational Frank Logan. Bob fired angrily off at Frank to accuse his county of slow progress and “not doing the decent thing”.
Frank, was the opposite and was said to be “adept at the soft word and sweet reasonableness” in reply. In the end, both men shook hands – the county would agree to seal the Pakowhai Rd in March 1937.
In January 1937, the state of Pakowhai Rd was so bad, driving was said to be “treacherous”, and cyclists found it amusing to “see vehicles rambling all over the road in search of a track which would give them some degree of comfort”.
As promised, the sealing of Pakowhai Rd began in 1937 by the Hawke’s Bay County Council, albeit getting the whole road done took some time yet.
Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is a Hawke’s Bay historian. He will be repeating his talk “Parawhenuamea: The Untamed Rivers of Hawke’s Bay” with new material on the Ngaruroro river, Pakowhai and Havelock North flooding events. Havelock North Function Centre, Wednesday, 27 September, 6.30pm. Book on eventfinda.co.nz
