MAIN NORTH ROAD

Evening Star, Issue 18812, 10 December 1924, Page 2

MAIN NORTH ROAD

A DISGRACE TO THE CITY. AMENDMENT TO HIGHWAYS ACT WANTED. The disgraceful state of the Main North road through tho Waikouaiti County came in for considerable comment at the monthly meeting of ,thc Otago Motor Club last night. Mr A. E. Ansell (president) said that under the Highways Act the Highways Board was only able to give 30 per cent, for maintenance. The Waikouaiti Council’s engineer' estimated that it would require £12,000 to put the road in order. As 80 per cent, of the traffic on this road was through traffic some amendment should be made to the Act giving tho board power to make a bigger subsidy when such conditions existed. Tho road was a disgrace to the city and tho county, but the Waikouaiti C’i'ii ty Council was not wholly to blame for its condition. Maintenance had not been what it might in tho past, and it would be tiro duty of tho club tb see that proper upkeep was maintained in the future should tho Highways Board move in the matter. At tho present time tho board had refused to declare the roi.J a Government road. Something must be done to tho road, and tiro Highways Act must/ bo amended before reasonable justice could bo done to tho Waikouaiti Coined and Otago motorists. The taxes collected from Dunedin motorists went into the Highway Fund, and it was unfair to suggest that motorists should be asked to give more towards this road. He suggested that a conference bo held between the City Council, the Waikouaiti Comity Council,"and the club to see what could bo done in the matter. Ho favored tho club giving some financial aid for maintenance when tho road was put in order.

Mr A. I. Wood said the matter of putting the road in order was one of expediency, but anything that the club did should he in tho way of maintaining the road. Tiro club might pay, or help to pay, for a competent engineer to superintend tho maintenance work. There was a good system of maintenance in tho Taieri County, and that accounted for the good roads in that county. Tho matter of maintenance was most important. The club should endeavor to get the Highways Act amended so that tho position could be rectified. The road was not properly graded or drained. Mr J. L. Passmore supported the proposal, and said that in Canterbury the Motor Association put a man on tho road itself, and the venture was a great success.

Mr W. Wright said that if nothing could be done the club would have to urge a Commission for the Main North road. Suitable material played a big part in the surfacing of a road, and he suggested that tho North road ho gravelled, as grav'd would be a temporary solution of the trouble if the tar scaling was found impossible.

Mr P. W. Breen said the Exhibition had nothing to do with tho road. The trouble was that Ihe South Island did not “ squeal ” enough about its roads. It was a good suggestion to have a conference with the City Council and the Waikouaiti County Council to urge that the Highways Act bo amended. Mr Ansoll said that the amount paid in taxes by the motorists did not affect the allocation of moneys by ihe Highways Board.

Mr J. Roberts suggested that the presidents of tho Expansion League and Cham her of Commerce and the chairman of tho Exhibition Company bo asked to attend tho conference between tho City Council and the Waikouaiti Comity Council and Motor Club, as the more power they had behind them the better. Ho would move in that direction.

The motion was carried, and it was decided to write to tho Highways Board protesting against the treatment meted out to tho Waikouaiti County Council, and asking that immediate attention bo given to the North road.

In conclusion tho Chairman said that tho chili would take, the initiative in arranging a conference, and ho was sure they had the sympathy of all motorists and ratepayers of the Waikouaiti County in tho effort to have the road put in order.