MAIN HIGHWAYS

Evening Star, Issue 21630, 27 January 1934, Page 5

MAIN HIGHWAYS

VISIT OF BOARD t MEETING WITH MOTOR CLUB The members of die Main Highways Board at present visiting .Dunedin lieJd a conference this morning with representatives of the Otago Motor Club, a varietv of matters dealing with highway improvements being introduced. Mr P. W. Breen (president of the Otago Motor Club) was in the chair, and associated with him was Mr F. J. Williams. The members of the board present were; Messrs C. J. M'Kenzie (chairman), J. Wood (Government member). M. H. Wynard (motorists., representative). C. J. Talbot (South Island Counties' representative). -Mr Morrison (North Island Counties representative), G. TV. v Albertson (Highways Engineer), and T. Tyndall (formerly Highways Engineer and now Under-secretary for Mines). MR TYNDALL’S SERVICES. When reference was made to the retirement of Mr Tyndall Mr Breen said that the withdrawal of this engineer from the board meant a great loss to New Zealand reading. Motorists had the greatest confidence in Mr Tyndall and regarded him as one of the finest road engineers in the dominion. He had had a ripe experience, and he had great ability, having been sent around the world to study reading in other countries and having gained much knowledge that should not be’ lost to the board. Some effort should be made to retain his services in an advisory capacity. 1 MILTON-HENLEY. It was suggested by Mr Williams that improvements could be effected on the Milton-Henley highway. The board was asked to erect white posts at the approach to an awkward bridge at Wailiola. He would urge as a motorist that efforts be mad© to keep a reasonably good surface on the road during reconstruction. Engineers, in his opinion, should be afforded more money to enable them to keep the surface in order. . Mr M'Kenzie said he did not think there would be any difficulty about making the suggested improvements. Mr Williams also introduced the matter of the Taieri Mouth-Milton road, which he thought should be made a highway in order to provide an alternative route to Milton. _ The distance was about twenty-one miles, and only one bridge would be needed. Also, there would he not any great difficulty or expense. He knew the Motor Club was keen on having something done in that direction. 1 BRIGHTON ROAD.

As regards the Brighton road, the Chairman dealt with the need for tarsealing to check the duSt nuisance and give improved access to a popular resort.' . . _

Mr Breen, said that the Taieri County was prepared to offer some help when the work was put into operation. Mr A. J. Allen, of Brighton, said the road was purely a pleasure and tourist road, and the rating value of the land it ran through was very low. The road was really in a desperate condition just now, and at .Brighton it was hoped that tar sealing would be carried out. Mr Breen said the Motor Club had spent some money bn improving the corners and similar Work, but the resources would not permit it to do anything extensive. Mr Tyndall said the board was tarsealing several roads of a similar nature in various parts of the dominion, but in each .case it was expected that the county concerned should pay a third of the cost. Mr Williams, said they were not askin gi for a new tar-sealed road all at once, but they would like to see a commencement made. Improvements could come gradually. Mr M'Kenzie stated that the board could give no definite undertaking offhand, but the matter would be considered. DUNBACK ROAD CREEKS. Mr Breen brought up the necessity for bridging nine creeks on the highway from Dunhack, stating that the crossings were awkward and risky at times when even a small fresh came down. Mr M'Kenzie said the board intended going over the road .at the week-end and members would' look into .the matter. RANGITATA BRIDGE. In regard to the matter of reserving the Rangitata bridge for motor traffic, Mr M'Kenzie intimated that it would be two years before the bridge was in use, but the board was keeping in view the point that had been brought up. RAKAIA-ROLLESTON. When the question of tar-sealing the Rakaia-Rolleston highway was urged Mr M'Kenzie and Mr Tyndall said the board had met representatives of the counties concerned in Christchurch and had offered to pay 80 per cent, for the cost if the counties would pay the remainder. The board hoped to bo .in a position to do something soon. The road had been on its programme for, some time, but as the counties had not offered to pay part of the cost, nothing had been done. ■ , lIA AST PASS.

Board members stated that the construction of the Haast Pass road could scarcely be regarded as one of the functions of the Highways Board. Mr M'Kenzie said that when the existing slips on the Makarora road were cleared away the board would take over the maintenance of the road and see that it was kept* open as far as the present terminus. Mr Tyndall remarked that the road was very necessary, but it would cost £500,000. In fact, the board could spend £20,000.000 on highway improvements and still not accomplish everything that was required. They were forced to work where there was the most traffic and choose only the most important works. ' HAMPDEN BRIDGE. A request was made for a better

bridge on the north side of Hampden. Mr Breen stating that the bridge there was awkward at any time, while in wet weather it became particularly difficult to negotiate because of scouring. The Chairman said the board would inspect the bridge. LINDIS PASS. Mr Breen said that in wet weather the Lindis Pass road was very slippery and dangerous, while, on the other hand, the dust was a nuisance in dry weather. They would like to see the road tnr-soaled. Mr M'Kenzie said the board had beenovor the road and knew how dangerous it could be. The board was waiting for a survey report on the road, and hoped to he able to do something in the near future. ROAD TO BURNSIDE. The Green Island Borough Council’s representative asked the board to consider the matter of declaring the shortcut from Look-out Point to Burnside a highway. Alternatively, the council asked that the board should make a grant for maintenance and tar-scaling. Tile road was about thirty-eight channs,, and the present maintenance was about £l5O a year. Putting the road in order and tar-sealing would cost about £SOO. The only thing the board could do was to declare the road a highway, said Mr M’Kenzie. The board could not spend money on roads other than actual highways. The matter would bo considered when the annual declaration was made. MOUNT CARGILL ROAD. In speaking of the improvements that had been made on' the Mount Cargill road, Mr Breen expressed the thanks of the Motor Club for what had been done to date. However, they would like to see the whit© lines on the surface attended to. The lines were very useful in foggy weather, and motorists would like to see the whole road treated in the same way. The Chairman said that this work would be done. Mr Ball said it was intended to do some tar-sealing in certain parts, and the question of white lines had been held over pending the completion of that work. ! - BOARD’S FINANCE. After the meeting the chairman said the members of the board were glad of the opportunity of meeting the Otago Motor Club again. The members had noted the club’s representations, and would give them careful consideration. As regards funds, they all knew, how the board had been placed lately, but increased resources were expected in the near future, particularly for maintenance. Last year’s declaration of highways, totalling 750 miles, were received, and there was always more work offering than could he handled. This year they, had only £260,000 for con-, struction, and that did not go very far when big works like the Clutha Bridge, costing £40,000, had to be done. The board was doing its best with the funds at its disposal, and ' as funds permitted, its operations would be extended. It was stated that the funds that were at the disposal of the board in 1929-30 included £1,000,000 for maintenance, and last year the sums available were £600,000 for maintenance and £160,000 for , construction. This year (1933-34) there was the sum of £700,000 for maintenance and £260,000 for construction. .

EXTENSIONS OF TOURIST ROADS

SOUTH OTAGO REQUESTS. On their arrival at Balclutha yesterday morning, Mr C. J. M'Kenzie and members of the Main Highways Board were met by members of the Balclutha .Borough Council. Kaitangata Borough Council, and the Clutha County Council. Mr D. T. Fleming (Mayor of Balclutha) welcomed the visitors on behalf of the local bodies. He informed them that although there were no very important matters to be brought before them, the members of the local bodies were pleased to meet the visitors, as it was felt that the personal contact during general discussion would be the foundation of better understanding in future dealings. Mr W. S. Thomson, on behalf of the Clutha County Council, joined in the welcome, and introduced the requests made by the riding mem'bers most interested. Most of these requests were concerned with the declaring of small distances of road as main highways in order to complete through roads. Mr A. T. Harris (Clinton) brought forward the claims of the four mile stretch of road between the ClintoiiKurawao road and the Gatlins highway to Southland. This road would be of considerable service, especially during winter, when it would provide an alternative route for traffic which _ would otherwise be' held up by floodings at Waipahi and further south on the Main South road. The road through the Kurawao Gorge was of an easy grade, and was in good order for most of the way.

Mr H. A. Brough (Owaka) referred to the drive through the Gatlins district via Papatowai to Southland, which he claimed to he one of the finest tourist drives in the dominion. Every year the traffic was increasing, and the cost of its upkeep was too heavy a drain on the riding concerned. Mr A. V. King (Clydevale) asked for an extension of the Waiwera-Clydeyale highway for the additional seven miles to the Tuapeka Punt. The river traffic was decreasing and giving way to motor lorries, so that the road in question had become much more important. He aiso referred to the one and a-half miles of road which linked the Clydevale punt with the Balclutha-Tuapeka highway. Mr' D. R. Jack (Clutha) asked that two short stretches of road, one at Waiwera station and the other on the Bruce side of the Clutha River, be taken in as main highways, thus giving a complete highway from Wanvera railway station to the Tuapeksi highway. This road was the direct road from Clinton and places south through to Lawrence, and it was much used. Mr W. S. Thomson referred to the seven miles of road between the Kai(jiku bridge and Davis’s Corner, whichwould link up with the Owaka highway and provide a direct route through to the seaside resorts in that region. Mr T. Maginness (Owaka) supported the claims of the Papatowai road and also suggested that the Owaka-Pouna-wea road, two and a-half miles in length, should be taken over as part of the main highway. He also referred to tlie matter of railway transport charges for gravel. The county had a big gravel pit which produced first-class road material, but the railway charges made it prohibitive to transport the gravel to distant parts of tho county. At one time here had been a preferenial tariff, but this had been abolished. The council had also to pay shunting charges *at the siding. He asked the board for their support in endeavourin gto obtain preferential tariffs tor carrying countv gravel. • , Mr R. Aitchison (Mayor of Kaitangata) expressed his pleasure in being present to welcome the board. His council had no requests to bring forward, but had -wished to be represented at the meeting as an indication ot Seedwill. Mr Fleming remarked that Balclutha Borough had no requests to either, although there were one or two details which could be discussed less formally later.

Mr ' M'Kenzio (chairman' of the board), after thanking the local bodies for their expressions of goodwill, asked them to realise the board’s position :n regard to their requests. Their finance had been limited during the last few years, and it was all they could do to carry on adequately without undertaking new burdens. This being so, lie coudl give no decisive answer to the requests, except to assure the councillors tlmt the requests would receive full consideration at the annual review. As to gravel charges, it was a matter of Government policy, and in regard to railway matters the board did not possess much influence. Mr W. Morrison (North Island counties’ representative on the board) remarked that lie had not been so far south before, and it seemed to him that there was some wonderful farming country between Balclivtha and Invercargill. In the back country there was still much' more good-looking land which might bo opened up, and if the Milford road project,were-to.be carried out it would be an advantage in this respect. , Mr C. J. Talbot (South Island counties’ representative) congratulated the local bodies concerned on having obtained such a fine bridge as was at present being constructed. The bridge was the first with which the board initiated' the policy of giving large grants to new bridges which were important main highway links. ■ He mentioned that the matter of ridings in county councils seemed to be prominent in some of the southern councils, and he suggested that better work might be done if this were obtruded no more than was absolutely necessary. Under modern conditions the riding system, was becoming obsolete, and already it had been abolished in several places. Messrs H. Wynward, J. Wood, T. M. Ball, and A. Tyndall, other members < f the party, also spoke on general lines. , RECEPTION AT MILTON. After lunch the party proceeded by motor to Milton, where they were met by the mayor (Mr J. Grey) and councillors and representatives •of the Bruce County Council. There were no matters of' major' importance to be brought forward, and the meeting was chiefly general, members ’of the board making helpful suggestions on various matters. Several requests were made concerning secondary highways, and the chairman gave assurance that they would he considered in due ‘ course. Attention was drawn to the dangerous corner on the main road near Clarksville, and it was arranged to have alterations made.