MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24986, 21 September 1946, Page 2

MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

WORK LAST YEAR Although the Main Highways Board still appreciated the efforts of motorists to have all the taxation derived from them applied to the purposes of the board, revenue was Improving through the increased consumption of petrol now possible, said Mr M. H. Wynyard, motorists’ representative on the board, addressing the annual conference of the South Island Motor Union yesterday morning. For the first five months of the year, revenue from petrol was up 33 1-3 per cent., he said, so that if this, trend continued the board would receive a proportion Of the taxation on 100,000,000 gallons of petrol a year, which was nearing the pre-war peak of 106,000,000 gallons.

This would enable the board to do more work, he said, although operations were still hampered by shortages of labour and material. The maintenance of existing highways had been the board’s chief concern. It had been estimated in 1944 that it would cost £1,000,000 and take five years to restore the deterioration in New Zealand highways. In the last year, £1,577,000 had been spent on maintenance; but because of increased costs this work would be equivalent to about £1,100,000 worth before the war. Only 290 miles had been resealed, but an annual coverage of 400 miles was aimed at. Construction valued at £183,250 was carried out, including the preparation and laying of 21 miles of, new highway. The board had continued to improve road safety by subsidising formation of footpaths in rural areas, by marking roads, and by the elimination of dangerous railway crossings, 125 more of which were on the list for attention. The Railway Department formerly offered considerable assistance in this work, but it now offered only One sixth of the cost. The conference expressed concern at the wear caused by heavy traffic.