HIGHWAYS WORK.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 175, 25 June 1932, Page 6

HIGHWAYS WORK.

The state of the national finances is reflected in the allocations made by the Main Highways Board for No. 9 district, of which Palmerston North is the centre. For construction work £9,000 has been provided, including £2,000 in connection with the proposed new bridge across the Manawatu River at the end of Fitzherbert Avenue, while maintenance has been estimated to cost only £35,000 compared with £62,000 'last year. The latter sum includes subsidies for sealing work. At the annual meeting of No. 9 Highways District, held in Palmerston North this week, local bodies, apparently unaware of the severe pruning measures adopted by the Board, made application for works whose cost exceeds the sum available. The chairman emphasised that these applications must be rigorously overhauled to meet the new order. While the position is most unfortunate, local bodies will recognise that it is unavoidable. Motorists, too, who are taxed to provide better roads will regret the necessity for the Board’s action. It is evident that there will be very little new construction work in this district; indeed, to all intents and purposes, it seems to have stopped for the time being. It will be hoped that the allocation for maintenance will be sufficient to keep the roads, upon which a large capital sum has been expended, from deterioration, and thus, prevent a situation from arising in which a considerable outlay, in future years, would be required to bring them to the standard set by the Board. That would not be economy.