MAIN ROADS AND BIG BRIDGES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 211, 25 May 1918, Page 10

MAIN ROADS AND BIG BRIDGES

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—The maintenance of main roads is becoming an ever-increasing eource of trouble to local authorities, intensified by high wages nnd shortage of labour. The best of the- men have gone away, and it has become difficult to ; replace them by even inferior men. The traffic on th'e main roads has gneatly altered during the last ten or twelve years. Prior to this each local tody had/to maintain Buch road almost entirely for its own local traffic—now that motor .traffic has become general over the whole main roads from one en,d of the island to the other, it is abundantly evident that until a Department is set up to take over the maintenance of the main roads and bridges there will be continual disputes among local bodies relative to their share in the cost of such ivork. It is manifestly unfair that, say, the cost of rebuilding a largo bridge, over which not alone local traffic but more or less traffic •from all parts of the island is continually passing, should be borne solely by one or two local authorities. Parliament recognising this, has empowered local bodies in such cases to require adjoining districts to contribute, and rightly so. Such a case has arisen lately in the Waira,rapa, where a largo bridge close to the town of Mastcrton, and situated on the main • Fentherston-Woodville Road, must be rebuilt. Doubtless the town of Masterton benefits mosj; by this bridge, but all the surrounding districts, in varying proportions, use the bridge, and especially k this so since the large soldiers' camps at Treutliam nnd Feathorston have been set up, much of the traffic from the north coming from far beyond the immediate neighbourhood of this bridge. Until the main arterial roads are nationalised the Government should give assistance, say pound for pound, especially in this instance, where the camps liuve increased the traffic greatly.

An abortive conference of local authorities wus lately held in Mastertou to consider the apportionment of the cost of the ■bridge in question—diverse views were expressed, but all (excent the two local authorities in whose territory the bridge is situated) were evidently desirous of gotting their share of the cost reduced, some even going so far as to wish to be exempt altogether. V AII benefit more or less, but probably no two to the same extent, therefore only a disinterested commissioner is likely to decide the matter equitably.—l am, etc., RATEPAYER..