THE PAVING PROBLEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 246, 17 October 1925, Page 8

THE PAVING PROBLEM.

ON GREAT SOUTH ROAD. DISCUSSED BY HIGHWAYS BOARD. A CONFERENCE PROPOSED. (!3y Telegraph.—Press Association.! WELLINGTON, this day. The standard of construction to be adopted on the C.reat South Road from Auckland between Otahuhu and Papakura was the subject of lengthy discussion at the Main Highways Board's meeting to-clav. The local authorities .interested expressed a desire for a concrete surface, but from the main highways point of view the board expressed the opinion that a bituminous concrete surface would meet requirements. In view of further expressed desires on the part of local authorities for concrete, the board decided that it would subsidise to the extent of ~>o per cent of the estimated cost of a bituminous concrete road, but, subject to the necessary statutory powers being obtained, the board would raise no objection to local bodies building a concrete road provided the construction by the board would be limited to oO per cent of the estimated cost of bituminous pavement. In view of what is regarded as a very reasonable quotation for construction of a road in concrete, the local authorities during the past week approached the board with a request that the position be reconsidered, and the board's subsidy be on the whole cost of putting down a concrete road. The board, however, having now obtained legal power to limit its subsidy to less than 50 per cent of cost in cases of this kind, decided to adhere to its previous decision in the matter, and, with a view to determining the amount of subsidy, proposes that its officers should confer on the ground with the local authority officers and prepare an estimate of what a bituminous road to meet main highway requirements would cost.