CONCRETE ROAD.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19481, 30 November 1928, Page 5

CONCRETE ROAD.

CUTTING OF THE RIBBON. CEREMONY AT STYX BRIDGE. Practically every local body in the district was represented at the Styx bridge yesterday when the new con crete section of the North road, 2| miles in length, was officially opened, end later in the Waimairi County Council Chambers, where a luncheon was held in celebration of the event. The ribbon was cut at tho Styx bridge by Mrs Newnham, wife of Mr T. 0. Newnham (chairman of the County Council). Prior to liei doing so, Cr. F. E. Cross (deputy-chairman) presented her with a silver manicure set as a souvenir of the occasion, and afterwards little Rachel Cross presented her with a bouquet of roses. Three cheers were given for Mrs Newnham, and the long line of motor-cars filed on to the road. Later about 70 guests sat down to | luncheon in the Council Chambers, Mr Newnham presiding. He read apologies for absence from Messrs F. W. Furkert (Engineer-in-Chief. Public Works Department), J. J. Douga'll, H. S. S. Kyle, M.P., and C. J. Talbot. In proposing the loyal toast, the chairman said that he was sure it was the sincere wish of everybody that his Majesty would soon be completely restored to health. Referring to the new roadway, he said the Council was unable to contemplate it until the Main Highways Board increased its subsidy to £3 to £l. As soon as it got this information it went ahead with it. Cr. G. T. Mulcock, proposing the toast of "Members of Parliament." said the Waimairi County Council was very proud of the success of Mr R. W. Hawke, a member, in "his candidature for the Kaiapoi seat. He also referred to the excellent services rendered to the district by the Hon. Mr Buddo, the retiring member. Responding, Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P., said that just what sort of a Houso had been elected he did not know until he had had a look at the members. Mr Buddo, he said, had earned the respect of everybody,' and had been particularly lielpful to new men, easingthe road for them. It was quite an ordeal for them to go through. He believed the country had got the Parliament it had deserved. He could suggest some improvements, of .course, but those elected were actuated by the one desire of serving the people. A Magnificent Highway. Mr D. Jones, M.P., congratulated tho Waimairi County Council on providing for- the district a magnificent i highway. As a New Z'ealander he ' hoped that concrete would become thp ! road of the future. We were apt to look to things which came from afar 1 as being the best. He believed that j the principle of making the user of the road pay for it was a sound one, and would give to the country a great length of good highways. The Parliament of New Zealand had had a great shaking up. "As far as Parliament is concerned, we shall see what we shall see," concluded Mr Jones. Mr H. Holland, M.P., also congratulated the Council. Some of the North road had cost the Council up to £4OO per mil© per annum in maintenance, and then it was not in a very good condition. Tho Coucil was to be complimented on the courage it had shown, and he hoped that its action would give a stimulus to other local bodies. This, perhaps, would be given by the motorists, who would set up a howl when they realised the difference between good and bad roads. It seemed a very unwise thing that so_ much money provided by the motorists for the roads should bo lying idle in Wellington. The Hon Mr Witty, M.L.C., said the motorists, when they saw they were getting good roads, would bo glad tho tax was on them. Mr R. W. Hawke, M.P., was received with warm applause. He expressed his appreciation to the contractor the road. He was glad to know that it could be put down as cheaply as bitumen, and the present construction would give a fine foundation, even if bitumen had to be laid on top later. Much of his success in the recent election campaign for Kaiapoi was due to the Hon. Mr Buddo. Councillors had stood by him, and he had achieved success in spite of the ability of some of the councillors who had been against him. (Laughter.) The fight had been a clean one, and he hoped to merit the people's confidence.

"Extraordinary Difficulties. 1 ' The Hon. Mr Buddo said he felt delighted that he, a spent force, had been invited to be present. He appreciated the extraordinary difficulty facing the Waimairi County Council in roading—much greater than those which the City Council had £o meet. The future held out possibilities for further extensions of the permanent roadway, as there was a vote for the section, Christchurch to' Chaney's, via Marshland, on the £1 for £1 basis. Those who., knew the rural districts realised that quite a number of the country roads with light traffic were quite as good as concrete or bitumen highways. Motorists paid perhaps an average of £8 per annum' in taxation, and they were paying, up manfully. There was a possibility that with the amount of money now in the Treasury to the credit of the Highways Fund, the burden of taxation would be lessoned a little. "The Highways Board" was the toast proposed by Cr. W. J. Walter. He said the Board had been unduly criticised, but it had treated his Council well. It had given them a subsidy of £3 for £1 for the road. His Council was divided on the question of concrete and bitumen. He was in favour of the former, in view of the store of shingle in the Wairaakariri river-bed. They hoped to have, the Marshland read laid with concrete within the next two years. For a local body near the City permanent roads were by far the best. He was conceited enough to think that the Waimairi roads were as good as those in the City. Small boroughs, such as Kaiapoi, should be treated more generously by the Highways Board. He was opposed to tlie formation of a South Island Board. (Dissent.) If they got such a body formed, they would want next a Can : terbnry Board and then a Waimairi Board— , , A voice: And then one for Marshland, Jack. . Mr P. Langbein, District 'Public Works Engineer, who responded, said he had listened closely to the comments, which would be very pleasing to members of the Main Highways Board. Its thanks were due to the County Council for the way in which it had entered into the -business. The dealings it had had with the Board were a pleasure to the latter. The motorists, he felt sure, would also be satisfied with the work. Messrs P. Graham and Son, the contractors, had made the work of supervision very easy. The efforts of the Canterbury Progress League's committee which went into the question of highways in Canterbury had been very helpful. It was hoped, under that report, to have the first 20 miles of roadway completed within twelve months. "Paid to go Slow." Cr. W. P. Spencer proposed the toast of "Local Bodies." He said the Paparua County Council had constructed the first section of bitumen road. It was a good thing for the ratepayers of the Waimairi County that they had turned

down the roading loan proposal, as it would have meant a subsidy of only for £. It sometimes paid to go slow. Cr. Spencer referred to the members or local bodies as the "great unpaid. There should be more social gatherings of members of local bodies, which helped to clear away misunderstandings, he maintained. A cricket matcn between the Waimairi County Council and s team from an adjoining county had had a wonderful effect. (Laugnfcer.) ,^ r T Tho Mayor of Christchurch (Mr J. K. Archer) said he had been using tho new road and admiring it for some weeks. He admitted that the City was, to some extent, behind adjoining counties and boroughs. Waimairi was a very rich county, and had a lot ox money to spend. It seemed that the contractors for the road were able to put down things, as well as put them up. He said they were all hit by tho unreasonable price of cement. All were suffering by the operations of a combine. The Council had called tenders for cement for tho new surface of Lincoln road, and five firms had put in exactly the same price. This indicated some crooked work. The City Council was prepared to pay a fair price, but it was not willing to be and it was being rooked. Investigations by the Council had shown that it could charter a ship in England, bring out a i load of cement, pay £1 per ton duty, and still save £1 per ton. A voice: Wages are too high. Mr Archer said that that argument was false and was always advanced by the profiteers. The Council fe't so strongly about the matter ; it was sending a remit about it to the Municipal Conference. It would be far more economical for all the local bodies to put their orders in together and allocate the cement as required. Mr H. Manhire (Mayor of Biccarton) said he hoped to have them all present at a similar function in Eiccarton shortly. His Council felt it had a grievance against the Main Highways Board, which treated it as a joke. Page's Road Next? Mr A. W. Owles (Mayor of New Brighton) said he hoped Page's road would be in permanent materials before he concluded his term of office. Perhaps he would not still be Mayor when this was done, as he was over 80 years of age, the oldest Mayor in New Zealand. (Applause.) Mr C. Flavell (chairman of the Heathcote County Council) said his Council was. hoping that Page's road would be reconstructed in concrete. His body had not done very much yet, but it had laid Wainoni road and roads on Cashmere Hills in permanent materials. He was satisfied that it was a policy that paid, and the local bodies were working on the right lines. Mr J. Leslie (chairman of the Paparua County Council) said only time would toll whether concrete or bitumen was better. He did not see that his body should have to assist in the reconstruction of Eiccarton road. (Laughter.) Mr H. J. Otley (chairman of the Christchurch Drainage Board) said the body he represented had done its best to help tho Waimairi County Council. The Drainage Board had spent a total of £789,000. Within a very few months tho sewer would be laid in the Main North road. The contracts; for Waimairi were all let, and the engineer had been instructed to prepare the levels for the North road at the earliest opportunity. He believed that he could promise that the work would be done this autumn. Ho did not think Mr Archer had paid tho merchants much of a compliment. If cement could be imported so cheaply from the Old Country, he would have been in tho business long ago, but he was satisfied that tho profit was not there. Some people thought they were always being robbed, but those ideas were erroneous, and merchants must be allowed a fair profit, Mr J. Wood (chairman of the Christchurch Tramway Board) said he would have* liked to have seen the Waimairi County Council do something along the tram-line, which carried 90 per cent, of the traffic on that portion of the North road. Cr, G. Shipley proposed the toast of ".The Contractors." The state of the road, he said, gave entire satisfaction. He was glad a tenderer in concrete had won the contract. Local bodies.would be well advised to avoid doing such work in the middle of winter. The contractors had suffered many disadvantages, having to assemble new plant and to train a teanl of men in work on concrete.

The Contractors. Mr J. W. Graham responded on .behalf of the contractors, who, he said, had done nothing more than work to the specifications of the Main Highways Board. They • hoped, if they secured any more contracts, to allow the traffic to use the road as the sections were completed. If it was possible to import cement more cheaply than to buy it in New Zealand, hiß firm would have tried it, but they were convinced that the cement merchants were giving the local bodies a very fair deal. "The Canterbury Automobile Association" waß the toast proposed by Cr. H. Kitson. He referred to its work in the country districts, and in inducing the Main Highways Board to build the Selwyn bridge. The Association had been largely responsible for the carrying of* the City Council's roading loan. There would be no control over the funds contributed by the motorists for roading until there was a South Island Main Highways Board. It was thought in Wellington that if there were enough transfers of the funds they would be lost sight of ultimately. Cr. Kitson referred to the dangers of level crossingsMr P. W. Johnston (South Island Motor Union) said the criticism of the Main Highways Board by the body he represented had been constructive. The proof of the pudding was in the eating, and the Board had climbed down, agreeing now to give £3 for £>l for construction. Mr A. E. Ansoll, M.P. (president of the South Island Motor Union), had won the Chalmers seat because of the desire for justice among the motorists. The South Island motorists had not even one representative on the Main Highways Board. Without fear of contradiction he would declare that the Government'had fallen because it had played fast and loose with the motorists. Mr F. W. Freeman (president of the Canterbury Automobile Association) said the motorists' slogan was mileage. The South Island was sfbout sis or seven years behind its just dues. He hoped the new highway would not be turned into a speedway. The South Island was not doing its share in picking up the money which was to the credit Of the Main* Highways Fund. had come to the conclusion that ttiey would never get justice until they were given a South Island Main Highways Board. ' : Mr H. C. Harlev (chairman of tne executive of the South Island Motor Union) said the County Council had cloue something which would gladden the hearts of motorists. "The Canterbury Progress League was proposed by Cr. C. E. Cross. It was a great power in the South Island, he said, and if it was to take up the question of a South Island Main Highways Board it would soon be an accomplished fact. Mr J. E- Strachan (president of tne League) briefly returned thanks for the toast. "Now that you have crossedthe Styx, if there is anything in ancient

mythology, there should be a better time ahead," he said. Mr P. R. Climie (secretary) also returned thanks. The toasts of "The Press" (proposed by Mr H. Paterson) and "The Waimairi County Council" (Mr F. Sisson) were also honoured.