ROADS POLICY

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 79, 1 October 1919, Page 10

ROADS POLICY

A CHANGE URGED

ARTERIAL HIGHWAYS

A discussion regarding roading policy occupied an hour and a-half in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. Members were unanimous in urging that the Government must devise some means of meeting the problem created by the heavy wear of motor traffic.

In asking for leave to introduce the Country Roads Bill, 'Mr. T. E. 1\ Seddon (Westland) said it was time they had some change in the methods of constructing and maintaining main 'arterial roads. They had had several cases lately which proved this—the Taranaki case. the Mana-watu Gorge Bill, and a deputation last Saturday in which complaint was made of the inability, of the local residents to maintain the Paekakariki Hill-road. Instead of deputations or members coming to a6k for assistance and doles, they should have some legislation, such as in Victoria, Which placed the control of: country roads under a Country Eoads Board. This' board met, not in one centre, but wherever it vas convenient for it to do so. It had associated with it Civil Service experts. The board was in a position 'to decide which roads should be regarded as main arterial highways, and which should be formed in concrete. New Zealand was plainly far behind America in the matter of good roading. " Mr. C. J. Parr (Eden) commended the work done in Victoria under the Road Board, and urged strongly, that a similar measure should be followed in New Zealand,

Mr. C. H. Poole (Auckland West) said that year after year hundreds of thou-. sands of pounds were wasted by a patch-' work policy. A system which, without: bias, looked at the; question from the standpoint of utility, would do a great deal of good. Mt. H. G. Ell contended.that this was one of the most important questions before Parliament, and the House should not tise before it had dealt with it.

CHAOTIC MAINTENANCE POLICY,

Mr. C. 'A. Wilkinson (Egmont) thought good service was being done by drawing attention to the need for action. The concrete road was as far in advance of the tar-sanded road, aa the latter was; in adyance of macadam. It would be an advantage if the Government assisted in constructing good roads. The system of providing for maintenance at present was chaotic. They had rates with, unequal . subsidies, and toll-gate's, and wheel-taxes, which were inequitable in operation. The roads required to be free and open; not regarded as the property of the people in a particular area. He did not think the Victorian Bead Board system would be so well suited to New Zealand, but he supported the Bill because he believed the question was one that called for attention from the Government before the end of the session.

Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) said it was the introduction of the motion that called for a new class of road. The Municipal Conference had asked for nationalisation ; but he did not think the Counties' Conference would do so. He thought that there should certainly be some means by which the burden of maintenance of an arterial road should not lie upon the local body through whose area it passed. As to revenue, he pointed out that motorists were not in entire agreement as to the methods to be adopted to this end. '

Mr. G. J. Anderson (MataUra) thought, a light railways construction policy should be proceeded with side by side with the scheme for good roads. . It was the opinion of. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) that the' railway tariff should be revised in order that the traffic should not be placed on the roads which might be taken by the railways. Ho was strongly opposed to toll-gates, but he admitted that the counties which were asking for toll-gates had a grievance. He mentioned a Wanganui case, and urged that the Minister of Public Works ; should take steps to allocate the cost among bodies which should contribute.

Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) advocated the engagement of an expert roads, engineer, whose advice would be available for small local bodies. It was impracticable to talk of concrete roads at present. Local bodies wouia be much assisted if the Government subsidised the money they spent on modern road-mak-ing machinery "The time has arrived," said Mr. J. A. Young (Waikato), " when the- Government should seriously consider whether it should not itself enter the cementmanufacturing industry, as this material is of such importance in the construction of roads, buildings, etc." ■ FINANCE METHODS. ■Mr.. W. H. Field (Otaki) ?aid the country might very well study what had had been done in Victoria in the Roads Act. He mentioned also the work done in America in the formation of main arterial roads. In this connection, he quoted the case of the main road from Wellington to" Palmerston, which was an arterial highway, but would require the expenditure of a much larger.sum than the 'ocal bodies could provide before it became suitable for motor traffic. The Motor Association had offered to bear taxation, so that the Government should experience no difficulty in meeting the cost of loans. The Government should lose no time in investigating the best method of providing for the upkeep of arterial roads. Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton) ■ strongly urged that the Government should take the question in hand and provide funds by means of a tire-tax or wheel-tax. , Mr. H. E. Holland (Grey) thought the financing of roads should come out of the Consolidated Revenue. The landowners whose property was improved by ths construction of the roads should bo made to contribute.

Messrs. J. MC. Dickson .(Chalmers) and A. Harris (Waitemata) also supported the Bill, which was read a first time.