HIGHWAY PAVING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 45, 2 December 1939, Page 3

HIGHWAY PAVING.

PROGRAMME MAY BE MODIFIED. LACK OF MATERIALS LIKELY. A modification of the Main Highway Board’s programme of road-sealing is threatened. The Minister for Public Works (the* Hon. It. Semple) in an interview yesterday said that any modification would be caused by the shortage of bitumen. There was also a shortage of tar and that, together with the short supply of bitumen, was likely to bring about a “cutting down” of the board s paying programme.

The programme for the maintenance and construction of main highways for the current financial year was based on a continuance of activities on practically the same scale of operations as for 1938-39. In that year, extensive paving operations were carried out, the greatest amount of new sealing in any one year —385 miles—being recorded. On March' 31. the dlistless surfaced highways totalled 2800 miles, or approximately 23 per cent, of tile mnirt highway system. Asked for an amplification of his statement at Auckland that public works were to be- graded, Mr Semple said that no- special classifications for the various jobs had been dirawn up, although both he and the officials of the Public Works Department had clearly in their mind’s eye the course which would be followed.

“The principle is that men are not considered to he urgently needed,” said the Minister. “Only this week, we shifted 150 men from one job on to a more productive work.” Asked if any hold-up of major construction works was likely to take place because of the difficulty of obtaining supplies of essential materials for most of the important works were in the Dominion or were expected to be delivered.

“But,” lie added, “we may have trouble in getting materials for the proposed new bridges.”