IMPROVED ROADS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 243, 15 October 1931, Page 9

IMPROVED ROADS.

HIGHWAYS BOARD'S WORK. BENEFITS TO RATEPAYERS. BOMBAY HILL DEVIATION. - An outline of the work of the Main Highways Board was given by Mr. M. H. Wynyard, motorists' representative on the board, at the annual meeting of the A.A.A. last evening.

In the eight years since the board came into existence there had been a marked improvement in the condition of the main roads, said Mr. Wynyard. Two million pounds of loan money had been spent, but that did not cover the cost of the roads constructed. With the assistance of money from revenue and accumulated funds, the board had. been able to spend £1,250,000 in the past three years, but last year the amount received from the Government had fallen short of expectations. The board had budgeted for £800,000, of which £250,000 would go to assist the ratepayers of the Dominion, so that some of the works on the estimates would have to be cut out.

It was hoped that the Bombay Hill deviation would by next year be available for traffic at all seasons, though the surfacing would not be finished for about two years. <■ Road connection with Whangarei was now open at all seasons _.otf the year, although during the past winter there had been a diversion of 20 miles between Warkwortli and Wellsford. The work now progressing on the main road be-' tween those points would not be completed this summer. * From Auckland to Hamilton the road had been greatly improved. The up in the Bombay project had not been altogether detrimental, as the money that would have been spent there had been used to put in order the road between Ohinewai and Ngaruawahia. When the board was first constituted "there had been some difficulty in getting the South Island to do its work, and there had been an agitation there for a separate board. • This- had now died out, and work on the 'South Island roads was progressing at a great rate. Maintenance had always been considered by the board as an insurance on the capital outlay, hut during the past year the counties had not been able to spend as much on maintenance as had I been anticipated. The board had there-

fore increased the ratio of its grants from 2 to 1 to 3 to 1, which would mean a saving to the ratepayers of New Zealand of from £250,000 to £300,000 per year. All the increased taxation on motorists was for the benefit of the country ratepayer, said Mr. Wynyard. A further sum of £100,000 lxad been paid out on phosphate to help the farmer, and £25,000 to the hospitals. year motorists had made a gift of £500,000 to the country.