Te Puna’s Memorial Hall was opened November 16th 1922. The land was donated by the Armstrong family and residents erected a hall to commemorate Te Puna’s war heroes who lost their life fighting in World War 1.
It was aptly chosen as the venue Monday 15, Sept. 2004 by Transit New Zealand who came to meet and consult with residents about State Highway 2. Their battle cry rang out “Your blood is spilt regularly on our road – we will save you from yourself! You must drive slower. We know modern vehicles are designed for speed and good visibility, are geared to brake and corner safely but we would like you to drive at a speed reminiscent of the horse and cart days when this hall was built with the advantage of all the pot holes they had then.”
Transit said “Our highway just cannot accommodate all 14,000 of you who want to use the “highway” daily. We certainly don’t want this figure to double as it will in five years. We will monitor this carefully and add more road counting strips to all those already in place. We certainly don’t want trucks using it – we will try and divert them to go over the Kaimais. We also want to discourage people living along it – we will make it difficult for any local who does to get out their gate or get service to their property; nor do we want you others to join the daily traffic flow from a side road onto State Highway 2 – perhaps we could close some, maybe try again with Clarke Road and perhaps by not giving Munro Road a sign, no one will use it? The narrow bridges definitely slow you down as you can recognize another hazard. Better still – why don’t you stay home!
We could put up even more signs . Along the 7 kilometre distance between Te Puna’s boundary rivers of Te Puna and Wairoa, we have already installed more than 54 Transit signs – great aren’t they! There perhaps is room for some more…. Notice locals, we have gone out of our way to make them even bigger so they take you eye off the road (even if regular daily road users actually know just where you are and visitors own a map…)
Yes, it is our recommendation we make you curtail your speed to 80 kph. - lets say, should you agree – it’s your choice! as far as Aongatete? Yes, we admit you are unable at peak periods to do more than crawl so let’s keep it that way. However in the interests of safety, we will install vibrating edge lines and paint “no passing lines” in the centre and, yes, best of all, we will do away with those passing lanes. This will make you safe! Yes – road rage and frustration could make you do silly things but the police will be able to extend their road surveillance to enforce this.
NO! We will not do the seal maintenance so badly needed and DEFINATELY NO! We will not fix the badly aligned patches that vibrate and annoy those who live close by, and MOST CERTAINLY NO! We are not here to drag you into this century by giving you that four lane highway we promised last time we made the effort to come to consult with you so many years ago.
We want to delay until the road is completely grid-locked – by then someone else should be appointed in my position and my job of stalling Western Bay’s progress will be done.
No – we are not part of the Western Bay Smart Growth strategy where we plan for tomorrow – we cannot keep up with today.. so hear this - we want you to return to yesterday. Now, Bye! Done 3 hours. We can go away. We have now consulted and you must wear our road speed restrictions. It’s our “new” secret weapon - Transit's answer to having a sub-standard State Highway!”
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