WEAR ON ROADS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 33, 7 August 1943, Page 9

WEAR ON ROADS

HEAVY TRAFFIC BURDEN

"It is perfectly true that heavy traffic, plus the heavy types of vehicles used by the Army, have cut our roads up very badly," stated the Minister of Works (Mr. Semple) in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon during discussion of the vote for the maintenance of public works and services. The subject had been raised by Mr. J. N. Masscy (National. Franklin). Mr. Semple said he understood the matter was outside'the scope of ordinary maintenance of highways and country roads. The wear and tear was something phenomenal and the expenditure allocated for public works was not anywhere near enough to deal with'the problem. The Minister added that he understood War Cabinet ■ had voted £00,000 for extra maintenance, but it seemed to him on the evidence he had at the present time that that amount would not touch the problem. Wear and tear had gone beyond maintenance in some parts of the Dominion, the base of the roads having been chopped to pieces. The whole question of putting these roads back into proper order would have to be considered. It was not fair to ask the counties to carry that extra burden. Mr. Semple assured Mr. Massey that he proposed to bring the matter before Cabinet to see if some ways and means could be . devised of restoring these particular highways.