LESSONS FROM AMERICA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1706, 22 December 1919, Page 11

LESSONS FROM AMERICA.

CONCRETE FOR ROAD WORKS, MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES. One purpose which the Mayor ior Auckland, Mr J. H. Gunson, kept- m view while on his visit to the United States was comparison of American methods with those in use in .New/Zealand, especially in regard to lmimornal matters (states the Auckland Herald). Some of the facts which he observed, m cominction with those noted by the city engineer, Mr W. E. Bush, who is also in-the United States on an official visit, will certainly be of value to the Auckland City Council in- regard to future municipal schemes. , As the result of his experience or American roads—ho travelled over, brick, bitumen, wood-paved, and concrete highways—Mr Gunson concludes that, taking everything into consideration, and particularly the cost of works in Auckland, concrete is the road of both the present and future as far- as our main thoroughfares are concerned. Upon the stretch of highway paving, he drove 350 miles in one day. Many'-ot the highways are paved only 15 teet wide, upon the principle that it is better to pave a greater distance to lo feci than a shorter distance to 20 feet at the same cost. In fast and contimious traffic areas, however, 20 icet is now the standard. In the cities and most suburbs the full width is paved. It is recognised that main paved roads are sound economically, and that they assist at once the areas directly served, and become a valuable asset to the community at large. Canada, too, is alive to reading necessities, and an enormous area of work is going on in both countric i s. «• Mr Gunson visited the museums in San Francisco and" New York. In both those centres gifts by PI^W citizens have founded wonderful collections. San Francisco has recently completed in the new city centre a splendid stone library building at a cost of about £230,000. Auckland, ho says, has Reason to be proud of its collections in 35 Hbrary a*d Art Gallery. Its museum will soon have a homo worthy of its treasures.