ROAD MAINTENANCE.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15767, 7 December 1916, Page 5

ROAD MAINTENANCE.

TO TITE EDITOR OP "THE PRESS."

Sir, —The letter signed "Buick" in "The Press" of to-day appeals to me. In all his statements I concur, but lie hardly goes far enough. I have known the North road for a good many years, and some years ago, before the advent of motor traffic, was a member of the Kowai Road Board as it then was. We laid shingie down then, in the good old way, and tho horse traffic eventually made a track along which you could get, but the point is that nowadays there is practically no horse traffic on the road between Woodend and Waikari to wear the shingle down. Modern methods of road-making, as your correspondent says, should be studied. The motor is the worst p° s " siblo thing for a road, as it kicks everything up instead of putting it down as horses and wheels did. Indiarubber is a vejy different article from iron; so is the 30 miles per hour of ■the car from tho 8 to 10 miles of the kug&y, or the 3 miles of the waggon or dray. The question really is: Do the Road Boards intend people" to travel on tho roads, or do they put shingle down He an obstruction to keep them to the side tracks? If the latter is their object, the Kowai County Council ihavo no points to get from any other Council I have had experience of, but whether that is the reason of their being a County Council may bo open to argument. The only time we have up INorth, of getting a decent track is ■when the traction engines very kindly run on the shingle. Why cannot they try and go with tho times, and either keep a steam-roller or get a traction engine to put the stuff down solidly? I suppose I go up and down the North road from Waipara to Amberley as often as most people, and for ono gig J meet fifty motor-cars. A dray, except tho County Council's, is never seen. Therefore. I hope the Kowai County Council will not think that because they are satisfied with themselves that other people are satisfied with them. are no two ways about it; the North road from tho Ashley to the Waipara is a disgrace to any County Council, and some of tho by-roads are, if possible, worse. Have "another go at them, "Buick," —Yours, etc., G. B. STAKKY. December oth.