HIGHWAYS AND RAILWAYS

Evening Star, Issue 22808, 17 November 1937, Page 2

HIGHWAYS AND RAILWAYS

A FORWARD PROGRAMME TRAFFIC JUSTIFIES EXPENDITURE During the financial year Just past, the Minister said, the amount of tranic on main highways showed further increase. The consumption of motor spirits was very much greater than for any previous year, and, in addition, the registrations of motor vehicles reached peak figures since the advent of this form of transport. If any further justification for major improvements to our highways were needed, it is surely to be found in these factors. The report of the Main Highways Board for the period now under review Mr Semple continues, shows that the total receipts from revenue exceeded £2,300,000, which is a record to date, and that the total expenditure from the Main Highways Account for the year ended March 31, 1937. on actual work, as distinct from loan and special charges, amounted to £2,400,000, which is almost £BOO,OOO more than was expended on similar works during the previous year. ... Nearly £1,400,000 was spent last year on reconstruction and improvements, including the elimination of level railway crossings, £900,000 on maintenance and £106,000 on the replacement of bridges. In addition to the foregoing, interest and loan charges accounted for £307,516. while general rate subsidies, which are paid from the Main Highways Account, totalled £195,000. The programme earned through last year involved the borrowing of £853.500 for mam highway purposes. In order to provide finance for the current year’s activities, It is proposed to allocate approximately £1,200,000 for' maintenance purposes and £2,600,000 for improvements and reconstruction. Of this latter sum, it is anticipated that £500,000 will be absorbed in the elimination of dangerous railway level crossings. A further sum of approximately £ 230,000 is being proposed for expenditure this year on the replacement of highway bridges. The extent to which main highways operations are financed by the State is shown by the fact that during the past year approximately 94 per cent, of the cost of improvements and renewals was paid from the Main Highways Account, compared with 6 per cent, contributed by local authorities. With regard to maintenance, 82 per cent, was provided from public funds and 18 per cent, by local authorities. PAVED HIGHWAYS. As the arterial highways are reconstructed to modern width and curvature, it is the policy to pave those sections which are heavily trafficked. The last paving season was characterised by unfavourable conditions due to the prevailing wet weather, but, notwithstanding adverse circumstances, 254 miles of dustless surfacing were completed, as compared with 277 miles during the preceding year. At March 31, 1937, the total length of paved highways was 2127 miles, which is 17.6 per cent, of the whole main highways system. Since the inauguration of the State highways system, the board has concentrated on the arterial routes, and in the early future it is anticipated that a number of metalled, sections will be paved, thereby providing continuous paving throughout substantial lengths. RAILWAY CROSSINGS. Satisfactory progress has been made with the major programme initiated by the Government last year for the elimination of railway level crossings, and, although completed projects number only 15, work is in progress and contracts have been already arranged for a further 67, ■ Detailed proposals for an additional 64 schemes are completed or in hand preparatory to the commencement of work. The removal of this source of danger from our highways will undoubtedly result In the prevention of many accidents. It must be borne in mind that a feature of railway crossing accidents is the loss of life, and that every crossing eliminated means the removal of a potential death trap. SAFETY CAMPAIGN, Referring to the special campaign wHich has been initiated for the promotion of safety on the roads, the Minister says he is confident that, in certain directions, a higher average standard of driving can be obtained if suitable measures are provided for the warning and protection of motor drivers. With this objective he has conferred with the Main Highways Board on matters arising from the suggestions made by the New Zealand Road Safety Council. Arrangements arc in hand for the board to devote particular attention to centre-line marking of pavements, so as conveniently to divide traffic. The adequate super-elevation of curves is being carried out progressively, and already improvements have been made in this direction. In order to indicate the existence of bends, especially to night drivers, warning posts and whitepainted fences are being provided, while bridges are also being painted in such a way as readily to arrest the attention of a driver. “I can say that the Main Highways Board is fufly alive to the possibilities for making our main highways safer, and will continue improvement works in furtherance of the present policy.” the Minister concludes, MILLION FOR LESSER ROADS. A sum of £ 966,000 is proposed for expenditure on roads other than main highways for the current year. As 1 have said, I should like to extend a policy of completing metalled roads to all primary producers throughout the country. I have very definite ideas concerning the improvement of settlement roads and I wish to make it clear that I do not intend these roads to be built to the standard of our main roads. I am decidedly of the opinion, however, that, before they are metalled, alignment and curvature should be laid out so that these roads can be progressively improved as the traffic increases. It is essential that once a road has been built to serve any district, it should be reguarly and properly maintained. I look to local authorities to do their part in the upkeep of improved rural roads upon which the Government spends money. Side by side with this programme there must, of course, be a continued improvement in main highways to keep pace with the growing traffic from these country roads. For this reason, and because of the ever-in-creasing motor vehicle traffic, and the apparent inability of local authorities to cope with it, 4000 miles of highways were last year taken over by the Main Highways Board and made State highways. The anticipated expenditure on highways this year is £4,165,200. The undue loss of life and the number of personal 1 injuries arising from road traffic have made it necessary to render the main highways safer for all classes of road ulsr.

There is ample scope for activity in this direction, and my efforts to prevent daily tragic happenings on our public thoroughfares will not be relaxed until everything possible has been done to provide that standard of construction and maintenance on main highways which will ensure safety 'for everybody. RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS ON SOUTH TRUNK 300 MEN EMPLOYED When last year’s statement was presented to the House, says the Minister, a commencement had been made with the Government’s programme of railway construction, but preliminary work only had been done on the NapierGisborne line, the South Island Main Trunk, and the Westport-Inangahua connection in preparation of a vigorous programme. During the year excellent progress has been made on all these works. On the Napier-Gisborne line a total of 1300 men was employed. The damage done to the previouslycompleted section of the line between Napier and Putorino by the Napier earthquake was restored. The Mohaka viaduct was completed, thus enabling a rail connection to be made to Wairoa. The Railways Department now operates a service from Napier to Putorino, while the Public Works Department controls a train service from Putorino to Wairoa. Although the sections are separately controlled, goods are railed at through rates. This service is already providing a muchneeded facility. North of Waikokppu, which is already linked with Wairoa by an existing line, work is proceeding expeditiously at all points on to Gisborne An excellent showing has been made on this work since construction was resumed last year, and operations have advanced to an interesting stage. The length to be constructed is 34 miles. The average number of men employed on the South Island Mam Trunk railway during the period was 900. instructions were issued to resume work at the beginning of July, 1936, and within three months employment haw been given to 700 men (which was considerably in excess of the total number employed when work was closed down in 1931), accommodation had been provided and plant and material were starting to arrive, an engineering staff had been built up, and the general organisation was well in hand. The housing of the men and their families presented a problem on account of the shortage of building materials. By the end of 1936 the main difficulties, in regard to accommodation had been overcome. There are now approximately 1000 men employed, and these are distributed throughout 23 camps. Of these men, approximately 400 have been provided with married accommodation, and the remainder are in single quarters. The various camps have been very completely equipped. The maximum number of men employed on the Westport-Inangahua railway during the period was 400. Construction work is now in full swing. It was necessary first to concentrate on the provision of accommodation for the workmen, and, coincident with this, machinery and materials for the construction work were assembled. IRRIGATION EXTENSION TO CANTERBURY WORKS IK CENTRAL OTAGO Irrigation,has been practised in Central Otago since 1919, and until 1934 the work was wholly confined to that province. However, the time has arrived when most of the available water supplies in Central Otago .have been utilised, and the remaining irrigable land can only be developed at a greater cost. Except for the Manio toto Plain, where a gravitational water supply is available, most of the future developments can only be done by Dumping, which involves large initial outlay and heavy annual charges for power. During the past four years extensive investigation work has been carried out in Canterbury and Marlborough, and the result of these investigations proves that very large areas of land can be developed .at a much lower cost than the remaining land in Otago. The main centre of activities in regard to irrigation development has therefore shifted to Canterbury, where the. construction of several schemes is in progress. The largest irrigation scheme remaining in Central Otago is the Maniototo scheme with a gross area of 83,000 acres, and of this area the first development consists of 30,000 acres of the central portion which can be developed and still remain an integral portion of the major scheme. This area has been fully surveyed, but before the work can be put in hand the question of subdivision of the larger holdings must receive consideration of the Government. The revenue last year was £23,963, and the working expenses £27,234, which includes £6390 for the renewal of pipes on the Tevlot scheme. The revenue, which shows a slight increase on last season, was not up to expectations, due to the exceptionally wet season experienced in Central Otago last summer. The growth of irrigation areas under Government schemes in the last 18 years is illustrated by the increase from 3200 acres in 1919 to 72.937 acres in 1937. The following is a brief description of the works in hand in Central Otago: The main races and laterals of the Omakau scheme were completed last year, and enabled 33 irrigators to commence operations. During the year a further 11 miles of distributaries were completed, thus making the whole 13,400 acres available for next season. This area will shortly be increased by installing a pumping plant to raise the water to higher levels. On the Last Chance scheme the concrete dam at Butcher’s Creek, containing 2056 cubic yards of concrete, was completed, and the supply race, including 1900 ft of tunnelling, was also completed. The work on the Fraser dam, which is to conserve additional water for Earnscleugh Flats, has progressed, and will be completed in time for the current irrigation season. The dam is 102 ft high, and contains 13,000 cubic yards of concrete. On the Manuherikia scheme a tunnel 5148 ft long is being constructed to eliminate a length of'troublesome race in Chatto Creek Gorge, and the length completed to date is 3714 ft. A small scheme to irrigate 3000 acres near the Dunstan Creek is now under construction, .and three miles of the main race is completed to date. SMALL FARMS PROGRESS The development of a number of blocks for small farms purposes, he said, has progressed satisfactorily under the control of the Public Works Department, acting on behalf of the Small Farms Board. Work has prac-

tically been completed in many in stances, and the camps have been closed, further work being found else where, in most cases, for the men On an average 1067 men have been employed throughout the year. The total number of buildings erected was: Number of cottages, 36; total cost, £l2 846; average cost, £356; number ot farm buildings, 153; total cost, £5202: average cost, £34. The gross total expenditure out ol the vote was £305,621, but this figure included wages, part of which was recovered from subsidies provided by the Employment Promotion and Consolidated Funds. The capital expenditure on development work was £199,003 gross. The following are the results of the small. farms scheme as at March 31. 1937: . No. Acres. Individual holdings estatalisted 060 24,522 Sections included in Sf "” aW . de !!' oP : 694 53,799 Area under development but not sectionised .. Total area under development - 59.560