“WHOLESALE WASTE”

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 248, 14 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 Air. L. A. Edwards’s proposal to form a Deminion Roads Association was continued. The motion was as follows:— "That this chamber 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 bo 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 wit!: Air. 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 ns automobile associations, so it would be more in the nature of n confederation of interests. He was inclined to supnort Air. Castle, too. in thmking that all taxation might not lie spent on main Toads or on roads at all, a* a tax might be put upon care for something else altogether. A special tux for road maintenance would bo in order, ns no inoton’t objected to paying a tax when ho knew it was croing to be snrnt on the road’. Mr L. A. Edwards said ho was Hie Inst, man to start an overlapping. body. There were some good roads associations in New Zealnnd, hut tow of thorn had done anything practical. He believed tint such an association ns he wns proposing wns needed to check the incompetency and prevent the wholesale waste that was now going on in connection with road formation in New Zealand, lhere must bo a ston to it. At present many of tho local bodies were jurt pouring ratepayers’ money into the gutters. He had reason to believe that the Hutt Road cost about £3500 a year to maintain yet he could indicate roads in America which had been down from nine to eleven years, and were not costing a fraction of a penny in maintenence. Sections of road had been cut out for seienhfic observation. when it was found that there was no disintegration and next to no wear noticeable. He artrood that the deformation of roods-pot-holey or wavy-was caused wholly through bad formation, and that the method practised here of spreading metal over a macadamised road wi<h a steam-roller was ridiculously wasteful. The metal was sprrad and rolled out a« was dough by a rollmg-pm. Gradually the stuff wns rolled or swept into the gutters, to he shovelled un dally Wv the scavengers end taken to the tin. Th-'-e was a man in Wellington who had been taken out of the lines to France during the war to study modern road formation in a university nt the cost of the'New Zealnnd Government. He had learned everything there was to be known in connection with bituminous and torsealed roads, but he had not been able to get anything done, and Ire had wished the sneaker better luck. There was a need for such an association, which would snv that all this wade must ytop-thnt something must Ire done to provide soundly nnd soientificallv-constTUcted mads throughout the length nnd breadth of this country. He a»W tor tire support of the chamber. The movement was not going to Ston nt this. Public meetings WP re to bo hold, commencing at Carterton toward’ the end. of the monlh. The resolution wns nd outed.