“WHOLESALE WASTE”

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 247, 13 July 1921, Page 6

“WHOLESALE WASTE”

ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND TIME TO CHANGE METHOD “RATEPAYERS’ MONEY POURED INTO GUTTERS ” Methods of road construction and maintenance as practised in New Zealand were further criticised by members of the council of the Central Chamber of Commerce yesterday, when the discussion on Mr. L. A. Edwards’s proposal to form a Dominion Roads Association was continued. The motion was as follows:--“That this chainbar undertakes to give practical support to the formation of a Dominion Roads Association, the objects of which are: (a) Improvement of the road conditions of the Dominion, first consideration being given to main arterial roads; (b) the affirmation of the principle that all revenue derived from motor taxation be specifically and equitably allocated to main arterial road improvement; (c) education of the public upon the economic and military, importance. of good roads to tho Dominion.’ Mr. F. Castle said that he had doubts whether much of what Mr. Edwards put forward could not be achieved by bodies already established. When there were such bodies he was opposed to new bodies being set. up, for it struck him as waste effort. The suggestion that all taxation on cars should be set aside for the upkeep of main roads was hardly, to his mind, right, as there were very many important roads that might not be classed as main arterial roads, and yet should benefit bv the taxation. The president (Mr. A. L. Hunt) agreed with Mr. Castle that they should endeavour to avoid overlapping, but in this case a roads association would probably be formed from members of other bodies, such as automobile associations, so it would be more in the nature of a confederation of interests. He was inclined to support Mr. Castle, too. in thinking that all taxation might not lie spent on main roads or on roads at all, as a tax might be put upon cars for something else altogether. A special tax for road maintenance would be in order. no mol'H«t objected to paying a tax when he knew it was going io be spent on the roads. Mr. L. A. Edwards said he was the last man to start an overlapping body. There were some good roads associations in New Zealand, but few of them had done anything practical. He believed that such an association as he was proposing was needed to chock jhe incompetency and prevent the wholesale waste that was now going on in connection with road formation in New Zealand, '[here must be a stop to it. At present nrnuv of the local bodies were just pouring ratepayers’ money info the gutters. He had reason to believe that the Hutt Road cost about -£3500 a y»ar to maintain yet ho could indicate roads in America which had been down from nine to eleven years, and were not costing a fraction of a pennv in maintenance. Sections of road had boon ent out for scientific observation when it was found that- there was no disintegration and next to no wear noticeable. He nrtnmd that the deformation of roads— pot-holer or wavy—was caused wholly through bad formation, and that tho method practised _ here of spreading metal over a macadamised road wi-h a etenm-roller was ridiculously wasteful. Tho mrtal was spread and rolled out n« was dough by a rolling-pin. Gradually the stuff was rolled or sweat into the gutters, to he shovelled un daily hr the scavengers and taken to the tip. Th-* e was a man in Wellington wM had been taken out of the lines in France during the war to study modem road formation in a university at the cost of the New Zealand Government. He had learned everything there was to be known in connection with bituminous and taTFealed roads, but he had not been able to oet anything done, and he had wished the speaker better hick. There was a need for such an association, which would any that all this waste must stop—that something must be done to provide soundly and scientifically-constructed roads throughout the length nnd breadth of this country. Ho a»ked for the support of the chamber. The movement was not Koing to stnn nt thi=. Public mootings were" to bo hold, commencing at farterten towards the end of the month. The resolution was adopted.