THE HIGHWAYS PROBLEM.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18682, 4 May 1926, Page 11

THE HIGHWAYS PROBLEM.

I TO THE TDITC3 Cf "ZBE PEESS. j Sir.—With the amount of English j which h.)s been filled over the question of the upkeep of the highways, is ilforo no one who cau put his finger upon the weak spot in organisation and solve the Droblem? For vears have I driven, and for rears have 1 watched the method bv which our business i» curried on. and for years have I taken notice of the method the majority of councils and road boards adopt in roau maintenance. By the present method. a urcat deal of'money and labour is wasted. For instance:—Two miles or road are in bad order: authority i« given (or repairs-; tho road put in good order at the cost of £3OO. Left without inspection for four months, result being road breaking, ruts and poi.holes. and another sum is needed. A stitch in time saves nine. Had a roadman bfon requisitioned to natch tho road frequently, especially after heavy rainfalls, and rake the road, the labour and materials used would have stood ud to three times the amount of wear. This terrific waste of time and money still continues in most parts, the sole cause being lack of attention. When a roadman is deputed to watch six miles of road it is always good, and the expense of upkeep at a minimum. I refer to the road maintained at Government expense from Parnassus to Kaikoura. This road has been good for many years, and the men stationed there are very proud of their work. Let this system bo adopted by all districts : place a roadman every six miles from hero to Dunedin. It will cost approximately £7OOO per annum, and the public would be guaranteed a splendid road for all time. I am almost sure the Government would find itself with a surplus, as was found in Great Britain when the Chancellor of the Exchequer ear-marked a few millions of pounds from the road funds to be diverted to other channels. I trust our Government would not be giiiity of transferring moneys from our roads fund in this manner, and we should always see that the amount rated for road upkeep is spent on the roads. — Yours, etc., C. W. BARRELL. Rieearton. M'av Ist.