BETTER ROADS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18920, 8 February 1927, Page 9

BETTER ROADS.

ft MR WRIGHT'S ARTICLE. DISCLOSED BY COUNCIL OF C.A.A. The article from the pea of Mr A. P. Wiight, which appeared in Ths I'res-, on January 21th, on the subject of main : in the South Island, came i in.e'er the r.-'tiie of the Jotuicil of tho j t'auterliiiy Automobile Association last | r.igii;, when a report touching the matj tor was presented by Mr F. W. Johu- | ston. It was as follows: The advent of Mr A. F. Wright and the ChristchurJi Pises;, as ado ates of : a departure from the present position j of "stagnation" and "stalemate" in I regard to South Island roads, is a i welcome event in the history of motorj iny, and is evidence that former onlookers have determined to lend active I assistance. From the point of view of the motor organisations it is noticeable that Mr j Wright's only reference to them in his j article is the following:—"Our various ■ local bodiei, motoring associations, etc., ; have apparently been under tho impression that it was only necessary for a certain stretch of road to be gazetted as a main highway to cusuro from ] then on that such road would by some magical means become a fit and pro- ' per road for motor truffis." ! This, of course, is quite incorrect as j applied either to South Island local I bodies or motoi organisations. Those | motorists who bore the heat and burj den of the day when an earnest but ; unsuccessful attempt was made by ! southern motorists to mould tho Main Highways Bill to meet southern requirements know how far beside the mark is Mr Wright's somewhat ungenerous statement. "On Firm Ground." It is true that tho southern county representatives (with the exception of Mr Bruce) did not perhaps fully appreciate tho position, and thus failed to afford the southern motor representatives that support at tho conference on tho Bill which might have been expected. However, Mr Wright is .on lirm ground in his next statement (which is not in harmony witfi tho one above quoted) when ho says "that under the presont Act the moneys contributed by ptotorists and in the hands of the Highways Board cannot be made available, for tho purpose for which they were- contributed without a furj ther supplementing of the funds by the I farming and country community—a • contingency unreasonable to expect i and uulikely to be achieved." Just what the southern motorists have been proclaiming all along 1 The advent of Mr Wright and The PnEB9 in becoming active propagandists is doubly welcome, as although Mr Wright stigmatises the Act aa a North Island Act that is not so. It is a "Reform" Act and was our worthy Prime Minister's own foster-child. When a staunch Reformer and one of tho most powerful "Reform" journals in the Dominion point out what a "Statutory misfit" the Act is as applied to the South Island the hopes of motorists should indeed rise. Surely the powers that be will take heed, and all interested should be encouraged to fight on with renewed vigour for Statutory discrimination between the North and South Islands, as to the disposal of funds, owing to the vast difference iu the conditions prevailing in the two Islands. . Most of tho arguments used by Mr Wright in his article are old acquaintances of those engaged in the controversy, and therefore do not call for special comment, but he is to be congratulated on the most important part of his article—his constructive effort to show one way out of tho present chaotic situation bv the co-operation of local bodies and the raising of loans for the construction of up-to-date roads, and thus saving wasteful expenditure in the maintenance of mam roads, some of which it would be a compliment to designate as riverbeds." South Island Contributions. The safeguarding of the South Island contributions to the Highways Fund was duo to the foresight of two prominent South Island motorists. These gentlemen were aware of the then prevailing apathy of . tho South island counties, ,and harmg lost tho fight for a South Island Board voce successful in having the present safeguard inserted in the Bill Had tho southern t counties appreciated the position at thei time and fought as the southern motorists fought they might have turned the scales and a bath Island Board have been an accomplished fact. County opinion at the time, waa largely influenced by Mr Jull (one of the present members of the Highways ! Board) who was chairman of the CounI ties Conference, and probably the most able and astute chairman in the Dominion. The Southern Counties can therefore l>e forgiven some of their apparent laxity. .... ... it must be recognised, however, that there is very grave danger if the Southerners do not want their money spent on their roads, of Parliament being asked to pool the whole fund, in which ease the South Island would, as in many other instances, act the port of "Cinderella." No doubt Mr Coates and those who were associated with him in placing the safeguard in the original Bill and in the Statute would in honour bound resist any attempt to. rob the south of its funds, but. the political pull of the North (60 to 40) might prove too strong for them to withstand.

It behoves nil local authorities (municipal as well as county), Progress leagues, and motor orginisations throughout the whole of the South Island to respond to the clarion call and combine for the common weal. The South Island in this and other important matters is showing less initiative, than the North, and it is time we awoke tc the full significance of the writing on the wall, unless we nre to be entirely subjugated by the North and become n "Vassal Island " Quick Transport Essential. Quick transport is vitally essential to success in commerce and with modern vehicles, v.e must have modern highways. the Ashburion County Council wa* one of the most hostile critics of the Highways Act yet this did not eventually stand in the way of it being one of t!ie first counties in Canterbury to reconstruct with shingle some of ita main roads. This work has now been done long enough to afford a fairly reliable guide for comparison under Canterbury conditions between the initial cost, cost of upkeep and interest, and also the efficiency of the shingle on main highways and the modern product. It is felt that it would be impolitic at the present time to renew the claim for a South Island Board, but that all efforts should be concentrated: Firstly, in obtaining greater representation for motorists on the Board and granting representation to municipalities; secondly, in obtaining an amendment of the Act abolishing the provision that there should be any particular percentage of contribution by local authorities in the South Island, either to construction or maintenance work to qualify them for a share of the South Island fund. The Board when strengthened by the addition of more elective members should be strong

enough to formulate a policy of work to be done and fearlessly to see to the carrying out of that work notwithstanding the importunities of any local authorities for work in other directions; thirdly, on the advocacy of and collaboration in regard to thr construction of the modern road and co-opera-tion by our municipalities and counties in carrying out the work. Co-opeiotion is absolutely 05?ontii\l owing to the sninllness of many of our counties. Under a Cioud. Tlio niuuicipalilieii wcr< uitiidi a cloud at tho timo oi the o- the Act, but their right to rceognitio; and to u sharo of the motonsis' cor.irii.uliou is ju.-ii and r.i clamant Ui that ot iho counties. A very impori.iiit feature of tho niodci'ii ro;id is the diminution o; dusi. ao: only i.s dust, unpleasant but it is a menace to health and s,lw.;!d be eliminated so tar as ptiuibic, both loi Use. bcuelit of tho wayfarer anil also of the resident on tho wayside. .Many of tho latter are presented from properly airing their homes owinj to the clouds ci dust raised by motors Insufficient attention is giveu to the aspect of public health in regard to tho load of taxation from which local ratepayers suffer.

As to relative cost of construction of shingle and bitumen roads, their comparative cost of maintenance, their efficiency, and tho question of finance and sinking funds, theso aro matters which must bo left largely in the hands of engineers and actuaries to grapple with. •Mr Johnston added that if more Reform newspapers would express themselccs as The I'nESs had dune much good would result in the South Island. Hundreds of thousnnds of pounds were being hoarded up and there was a danger that it would go to some other purpose than that for which the money was raised. The Association had done its best to cet roads improved right from tho first. The Discussion. Mr F. W. Freeman said that in Mr Wright's letter the so-called engineering authority was the speaker. It was therefore gratifying to know that Mr Wynyord's remnfcs, as published in Tin; lEiß^, were confined to matters of an acturial nature. He was of the opinion that it was necessary to go in for some permanent form of road construction in the South Island. He' would go further than putting down tar-seaied roads. There was no more wasteful form of roading expenditure than patching up roads. What was wanted was a systom that would stand up to the needs of the future. The traffic was growing every day in Canterbury, and shortly would be doubled. Tyro wear concerned them most. On a bad road the life of a tyre would be 3500 miles, whereas on a smooth road it would be much greater. The difference to a motorist would run into about £44 a year in this rcßpect. It was necessary to see that there was co-operation between the users of the roads and the Highways Board. He wanted to see a permanent paving roading scheme from Picton to the Bluff. The cost of such a road in the first instance was high, but it soon paid for itself on what was saved in maintenance. " What had happened in England would happen later in tho Dominion provided good roads were put down. Factories would send their products direct to the wharves, cutting out the railway altogether. As an instance of how inferior roads wore, he mentioned that in the Wellington province a toMy token on n certain race day, when 'the traffic was heavy, showed that 7-16ths of the gravel disappeared. Go-ordination Necessary.

Mr A. J! - , carey ugreed that coordination was ucteabury 10 get better roads. He did not tuuiK.it, light mat rouuiug matters' Bhouid be proceeded with, oil the some antiquated lines ua were being ioliowed to-day. ite thought it unfair that motorists should be taxed first or all to provide lor good roads and then have to submit to further taxation before a roading scheme could be gone on with. There was no doubt that motorists should have better representation on the Main Highways Hoard. Mr Wright had touched on delicate ground when he stated that motorists would not mind being more heavily taxed to get better roads. They were taxed high endugh as it was.

Mr 0. S. Morris said that either the Association should call a meeting of road boards and other local bodies/and yet something concrete done, or else let the matter drop altogether. It was no use delaying any farther. Letters and newspapers reports would get them nowhere. Let them act at ones.

The chairman (Mr B. Falck) said that he would not agree that motorists should be called on to pay further taxation to get better roads.' Be was of the opinion that.a committee should be set up to deal with the matter at <:nce. Perhaps Mr Wright, who was not . a member of the Association, might be induced to act on such a committee. It was decided that the Council meet again on Monday evening next in committee to discuss the matter further, and a roading policy be decided on.