ROAD AND RAIL TRANSPORT

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27614, 22 March 1955, Page 14

ROAD AND RAIL TRANSPORT

SIR DONALD GAINER’S COMMENT ADVICE ON BRIDGING NEEDS Two of the most controversial issues affecting transport operators in New Zealand today—the 30 mile rail restriction and the axle limits—were touched upon by Sir Donald Gainer, Chief Executive of the International Road Federation, in an address to Canterbury members of the New Zealand Road Federation yesterday. In each case, Sir Donald Gainer offered a criticism of the restrictions. Sir Donald Gainer said that while in Wellington he had joined issue with the Minister of Transport (Mr W. S. Goosman) on these two controversial points. Before he came to New Zealand he had been asked by the director of the New Zealand Federation (Mr G. L. Laurenson) for some information on axle limits. Upon investigation he found that this restriction was peculiar to New Zealand, although after he had arrived in the Dominion he was told that such a restriction also applied in Holland. In that country, however, conditions were also a little different from New Zealand in that restrictions applied to A and B class roads, but these restrictions were hardly ever enforced. “It strikes me as peculiar that the Government is going to produce a lot of money for roads and then not put them to the greatest use,’’ said Sir Donald Gainer. “The roads are not museum pieces that should be wrapped in paper and put aside. I think their whole idea is mistaken.” In considering the various classes of roads in New Zealand he had also had to take into consideration the condition of bridges. “Many bridges did not inspire me with confidence. Some of them, wooden ones and frail in construction, are many years old and their use is coming to an end, It is no use building your motorways and other big roads and then having poor bridges. Some of the money held for reading should be spent on improving your bridges, and they could be done at the ‘ same time as roads are being strengthened,” said Sir Donald Gainer. He advocated the use of reading contractors to handle large stretches of road at a time and to build several bridges at the same time. Rail Restrictions Rail restrictions were not peculiar to New Zealand, said Sir Donald Gainer, most countries having found it necessary to put restrictions on the use of roads. “Where the governments own the railways, this is always the case, for the governments do not put their houses in order in regard to the rail services and would rather put restrictions on road traffic. The governments say there is a great deal of public money in the railways and they have a duty to protect this money. This is so in some ways, but they should not endeavour to protect it to the economic disadvantage of the country as a whole,” he said.

The International Road Federation followed the doctrine that the producer should have the freedom to transport his own goods in any way he chose, and if licensed transport could not do the work satisfactorily, the producer should have the right to transport the goods in his own vehicles. “No one form of transport should be penalised to bolster up another to the detriment of all transport,” he said.

Sir Donald Gainer said he had been in New Zealand only three weeks, but in that time he had travelled about 2000 miles and had seen all classes of roads. “By and large New Zealand is in an extremely happy position compared with other countries. You have a National Roads Board and a national roads fund. Very few countries are in this position. “I think your roads in .New Zealand are on the whole of a very good standard. Your main highways are excellent, but. some of the country roads, especially the gravel roads, are not all they should be,” he said. There were several differences of opinion among reading authorities in New Zealand as to what should be done with New Zealand roads, said Sir Donald Gainer. “Some say you should build motorways. With this I do not agree. I do not think the volume of traffic warrants the spending of all the money you have on a few motorways. I do not think it would pay at present to build these vast four-lane highwr'-s. I think it is a much better idea to build up your main highways and to seal a great number of these gravel roads, which are not only unpleasant to travel on, but also dangerous to some extent,” he said.

Sir Donald Gainer’s address was given at an informal reception at which Canterbury members of the New Zealand federation were present. He has been accompanied on his tour of New Zealand by Mr Laurenson. Mr L. S. Johns, a member of the New Zealand federation’s council, welcomed him at the gathering. Sir Donald Gainer left New Zealand by air for Sydney later in the day on the first stage of his return to England.