ROAD-MAKING MACHINERY.

Kaikoura Star, Volume XLV, Issue 72, 8 September 1925, Page 4

ROAD-MAKING MACHINERY.

REPORT BY COUNCILLOR P. ACTON-ADAMS. THE CHAIRMAN, KAIKOURA COUNTY COUNCIL. Sir, —Acting on the mandate of the County Council, I have been looking into the question of road-making and the plant needed. May I give a brief resume of the situation, as it appears at present? In road-making we still follow, though roughly, the principles laid down by McAdam half a century ago!

but during the past twenty years the nature of traffic wear upon road surface has undergone a complete change—a metal road of even well laid macadam will not stand for long. The world waits for a new genius to help us with the country roads. In the meantime, every councillor and county 'employee is considered to be occupying the place of a better man. This winter has been hard and long, the rainfall excessive; no macadam wiil stand wet and weight together—our roads, consequently, are in a bad state. Yet one is constrained to point out that the surfaces might easily be worse, and still be as good, and better, than many

roads met with elsewhere.'The man who at homo uses his own. cart or car, but when abroad travels in another’s, is fit to be a severe critic of his own district, for it is marvellous how insignificant a pot-hole or bad grotch, appears from the seat of another fellow’s car. However, no one can deny that the roads are up against it: the wear and tear is possibly ten times what it was—the repairs are less! This last statement appears to call for explanation: Let the ledger be examined— Proceeds of rates and Government subsidy approximately the same, s!i<;ht increase only, plus subsidy from Public

i | Works and Highways (this to bo considered later). On the debit side there is an j increase in general, overhead, interest l charges, hospital, assistance to electric , light; the annual subsidy to the electric light; and for the past throe years the I payment annually of one thousand pounds for debts previously incurred; nisi), since May, 1923, an extraordinary bill for flood damages throughout the | County, which arc continually being 1 added to by the numerous heavy floods ) since. Hut, worst of all, our one pound of bygone days is worth barely 14/ to-day; j and 14/ offered in the labour market 1 to-day will hardly produce to the Coun- : ty as much as 8/ of former times. The ! situation is impossible—the roads have ; got no chance. Increase in erosion, dei crease in repairs—literally burning the I candle at both ends. Re the Government Subsidies — • In olden days the Public Works Dc- : partment gave every year subsidies to : approved works of construction; modern ! legislation, by taxing motors, tyres, etc., i has instituted a new fund and put th” j Highways Board in charge. This Board I gives a subsidy of 50 per cent, on new j works, 33 per cent., possibly more, for ! maintenance on main road works properly planned and approved. Thus, n< regard to new works, the financial posi I lion has undergone little change; ftn maintenance and repairs assistance b forthcoming. i But, mark you, this is liable to over estimate. These grants are forthcoming only on main roads, on plans made and submitted by an engineer, approved by i the District Council, and—paid for by I the County in advance. The County has 122 miles of metalled roads, spends some £2500 per annum on maintenance and repairs, and obtainsomewhere about £750 as subsidy to that end. The roads do not sec the Highways Board prolonging their lives by much. There is the position. Erosion far greater —repair factor far less. What is to be done (and the whole world is asking the same question)? No lessening of traffic. We must either spend more money or sec that the money is spent to more purpose. Before spending more, the money must be produced. Recent legislation has checked the tendency of counties to overdraw accounts ami overrun the painter. To obtain the money we can raise the rates; borrow from the Highways on short-dated four-ycar loan —nasty things those bills so quickly falling due —or procure from the Government on a properly authorised and approved loan, with sinking fund. .Ln business, or on a farm, borrowing money to help things i along is so often-like a man already merry taking one more tot to steady himself. The benefit is more in fancy than in fact. Borrowing for maintenance would !>»• legitimate and honest, only if the income were more than sufficient to pay off the loan before further repairs were necessary; otherwise, call it not borrowing, but stealing cur descendants’ birthright. What right have we to mortgage, or . vouch for traffic conditions in thirty years’ time? ; Both Great Britain and the United States have introduced legislation to ■ guard against this. Borrowing is the refuge of the weak and improvidentj let us have none of it. Bay a#’ we go, if j we have to—short-dated loans for ex- ! traordinary outlays are different—i nasty, but often necessary. Can the Money Available be Put io Better Advantage? Henry Ford, iu 1920, when facing a

great financial crisis, was offered tho money (four million pounds) by more than ore. It is not money, it is brain we need, was the reply; and the outcome was a cheapening of the cost of tho Ford car. which tended to decrease the price of all cars. One man’s brains and pluck affecting the world! Two paths appear open: (1) To expend £3OOO-£BOOO on an outfit of road-making plant, which will ultimately cheapen and lesson the cost of repairs on our ordinary metal or gravel roads. (2) To improve the surface of our roads so that in the long run the total cost is less than heretofore. To give an example: The Esplanade, from Lyell Creek Bridge to W. Cooke and Co.’s timberyard costs some £l2O per annum for repairs; it is nearly always a disgrace to 'he County, and a curse to all cyclists, cars, and carts who have to travel on it; even the dogs and horses must resent the size of the pot-holes. If this were laid down in eight-inch concrete wo would have a first-class roadway with minimum repairs for a lifetime. But •‘he cost, £llO to £l2O a chain! Whew! We would all be using wings before it was worn out! Now, supposing, following the examole of so many counties in the North Island, we put a road well made and dressed with bitumen along that stretch "or £1250. That is £BO per annum capitalised; then allow £3O per annum for repairs, and the expense is about the same as before. This, no doubt, would be paid off in three or four years without hardship. The town would have the chief benefit, for the town would have an Esplanade instead of a series of holes, but everyone, and the whole County, would ;ain in the long run, and Kaikoura be considerably more attractive to the ravelling public. In the foregoing the width of roadway necessary for the locality is estimated at 20 feet. A rough comparison of the probable cost is as follows: Concrete: 15/ per cubic yard, £ll2 per chain, £9OOO per mile. Bitumen: 2/ per cubic yard, £l5 per c hain, £l2OO per mile. These figures might be altered by an expert, and the contractor’s fonder differ again; but they will give a general idea. For concrete work the situation is ertainly favourable—beach sand alongside, and close to the wharf for cement. On the other hand, for grouting and bitumen work, metal would have to bo imported, unless a stone crusher, such as every county needs, be put into commission. By the way, keep it strictly confiden‘ial, for a work of this kind the Highways might increase the subsidy from ne in three to possibly £2 for £l. They do such in cases of exceptional merit. • ! Other things being equal, the county ' that can get a greatly improved road without higher cost, is a winner; but if, I in addition, it gains an increased subj idy, it will have a credit at the end, which is not the case with all winners. The above is an example of section work. Referring to the Outfit of Plant for Road-making— Estimates range from £3OOO to £BOOO. The Waipara County Council is, I unlerstand, purchasing machinery costing about £SOOO. Lot us call the County ratepayers ‘‘ A ’ ’ —it will be simpler to grasp the position. ‘‘A’’ has an income of £2500 to £3OOO to spend on road repairs. He considers purchasing plant—the lowest estimate is £3ooo—to this add interest, insurance, depreciation, breakages, etc., totalling fully £lOOO. More skilled labour at higher wages to work the machines. By the end of twelve months “A”fiees tho bill will be fully £sooo—nearly two years’ income. Another electric light show, he murmurs. Will “A” plunge again? I doubt it. A smaller,'cheaper outfit may be asked for. Expert advice will probably state that anything below £3OOO is throwing money away; half an outfit would bo no good at all; either the proper plant for making good macadam roads, or be content with the present I methods, the gravel roads and the potholes. There is the position. Would the ratepayers prefer to purchase a plant for making and repairing macadamised roads, or to begin permanent surfacing of the roads by sections? And how is their choice to bo paid for? By the way, the County subsidy to . the electric light would make a nice road-way along our frontage. For any of the above expert opinion is readily available, everybody is doing something. The Chairman of the Highways assured me that the Board would go thoroughly into any project put up to them. Yet, in haste go slowly: A little while and others may be reaping where we have sown. Yours faithfully, P. ACTON-ADAMS. i 27th August, 1925.