RULES RELAXED.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXII, 16 May 1912, Page 5

RULES RELAXED.

CONCESSIONS TO LOCAL BLQDIES. [By Telegraph : —Special to Star.] WELLINGTON, May 15. In order to facilitate the expenditure of Government grants by local authorities for road construction, Mr MacDonald, the Minister of Public Works, has made a change in the method of securing official sanction to the plans. Under the usual conditions plans for work in excess of £250 have to be prepared in triplicate hy local bodies, in order to undergo a the scrutiny not only of the District Engineer of the Public AVorks Department, but also the head office of the engineering, staff. This has caused delay of several months in many instances, but the Public AVorks District Engineers are to be given power to pass works up to £1000 in value in future, so that no delay will be caused in the majority of cases. It is with a similar end in view that the Public Works Department has agreed to modify its rule regarding bridge construction. It has '^hitherto insisted upon bridges even in remote districts being constructed to carry heavy weights, though they are so situated that no load exceeding a few tons goes oyer them. It has, however, been agreed that in certain areas what is 'known as the two-ton bridge design will be passed by the Departmental engineers.