BITUMEN ROADS.

Matamata Record, Volume XV, Issue 432, 7 May 1923, Page 3

BITUMEN ROADS.

SCHEME SUPPORTED BY CR. STOPFORD. After his address on Matamata County Council affairs at Taihoa on Wednesday evening Mr. C. A. Stopford, To Poi riding member in tho Council, demonstrated the advantages of bitumen roads and outlined his scheme concerning the same for the Matamata county. At the outset, he said, he would like it understood that the figures quoted by him would be for the most part in round numbers, but later on when the new county engineer was appointed, and he believed that such engineer would be one who had had experience in bitumen roads, then these figures would no doubt be endorsed in detail by that officer. The sooner they started our bitumen roads the better, said Mr. Stopford. The main roads in the county and particularly the Tauranga road were fast being cut up by the traffic from heavy cars. Under the Public Works Act they had power to stop such cars from May 1 and such had been done. With regard to the Matamata-Kaimai road, which would probably be the first to be bituminised, this being treated under the Highways Bill as a secondary road would iio doubt be tho subject of a Government grant. In any case only those using the road should be asked to contribute and no one in Matamata riding would be asked to do so except Taihoa residents and two landholders nearer the town of Matamata. The whole of the Te Poi special area, however, would be liable. The work done would be on the following lines: The road would first be laid with Sin "to 4in of crushed metal and traffic would then be allowed on it for a month or so. Then the bitumen plus a laver of metal chips would be applied and at the expiration of another three months more bitumen and chips would be put on. The life of a road of this sort would be eight or ten years and it would cost about £9OO per mile. A road 10ft in width would cost less but he advocated a 12ft road as ho believed this was the minimum width required to get a Government subsidv under the proposed legislation. As far as the liability of the ratepayers' was concerned it would work out at not more than 3d per acre. A neriod of 15 years, or even less, would only need to elapse and then the road could be kept up out of general rates. The .speaker pointed out that EUliam county, much less in nren than the Matamata one, had horroweel £BB.OOO for roads and that its income from rates was SA 4.000 X)or nnmim. FHhim had 60 miles of tarred roads. Stratford county, about the same she as that of Matamata. had raised £2!?0.000 in grants and loan* for roadinf nnrnosos and its rate i'neo'"e was £IB.OOO nor vear. Tt had <HS miles of roads. T n Matamata our rates worked out at £15.000 annually and the reading expenditure for the vear 19?t-22 w?s £33.000. The r,vnr>o?ed road could he laid down for £,957 a. mile lop*, i<" the metal were token from tl-m Te Poi crusher for n mile and a half on each side, than if the me+al wore railed to and carted from Matnma*"). Putting it different.lv. metal rnstinp' us *"■ 0d p»v vjivf] ronld b» laid down for 10s 9<l. to +ho road running to- „„„.,!<. T<"■•'-'•'•'. "•"■' , f he T<> Poi school

Mr. ptnTvfo'vfl 'raul it was n pitv lr> , p , avr h r, C..,„ <)f rood n-ning te rn/ ,lr ~™l vin v-l-i*" it could be saved with hitnmeu. " When once you've (nqtnfl bitii>""n vopdc" said Mr. Stnnford. "vou'll want them all over the ]smd." CAnnlpU'-e. , > T n answer to ouestions Mr. Stopford s»?d the practice in Taranaki was to fill in the holes nnd after six months put the grader on and then crushed metal. Thev could expect no subsidy from the Government for by-roads. As the Customs Department was now collecting rubber tax roads where rubber traffic was heavy should be subsidised. The bitumen solidified in half an hour and the" process was somewhat similar to that employed in certain Auckland city streets. The cost for the bitumen alone should work out at some £4OO per mile. Formation and grading must come out of rates and not out of the loan.