ROAD MAINTENANCE.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15770, 11 December 1916, Page 3

ROAD MAINTENANCE.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS.'' Sir, —I was. very glad to see the letters in your paper of "Buiek" andG. B. Starky, with regard to road maintenance. The. whole- system of road construction and maintenance throughout Now Zealand is hopelessly inefficient. Half the trouble is caused by the present system of local road boards. What is wanted is centralisation of control. Instead of numbers of small road boards all over the country, large road districts should bo formed, with a competent road engineer in charge of each, with * suitable plant for £hc work. I'ho present system is most wa.-teful. There are scores of road board clerks and overseers throughout the country, many of them cither too laLZv or eUc incompetent to carry out their work properly. What is wanted is one good man with a car in each large road district, to give all his time to the work, and see tbat the surfacemen are properly employed. Take the Ashburton-Rakai'a road as a fair example of neglect. This is the main means of cummunication north and south, and its condition is a disgrace to the Rakaia Road Board and all concerned- I hope this road question will in due course receive the attention of Parliament. Thousands of pounds a year are being wasted under the present system, or rather lack of it.—Yours, etc., E. F. J. GRIGG.