MAIN HIGHWAYS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 17 November 1937, Page 4

MAIN HIGHWAYS

I RECORD YEAR OF ACTIVITY ! ! MOTOR VEHICLES REACH PEAK FIGURE | ANNUAL STATEMENT BY MINISTER (..* 1 | I ! Il'rorn Our Own Parliamentary b ! Reporter I i. ; <l. ; WELLINGTON. This Day. 1 "I have already mentioned the prois gres which is being made in the direci tion of improving the standard of main e j highways throughout the Dominion, II | and this applies not only to the actual “ | reconstruelion and realignment, but al|SO to maintenance. The past, financial u I year was a record year of activity since e ; the main-highways system was introf . duced some thirteen years ago," said ■- j the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. O'lt. Semple) in the annual statement pres sen ted in the House. } In my Statement last year I made j reference to what I considered to he a u | disadvantage i.i the methods of adminr I i.-frntion, arising from the divided contro! of main arterial routes. Legi dntion .was approved by the House which made e; provision for the principal trunk roads - |to he controlled by the national road- ’ ! lp 't authority. Subsequently npproxi- " | matoly 1.000 miles of State highways j were placed under the direct control of the Main Highways Board. In anti- ’ cipation of the introduction of this . change. tentative arrangements had t: been made in certain directions, and 1 it was possible for the Board to take ’ over some arterial highways immed- • iatcly after the end of October, 1936. ; However, owing to lack of plant for ' j maintenance purposes, it was found »e- j ! pessary for some local authorities to continue operations until departmental j equipment could be obtained. During the financial year just past, the amount of traffic on main highways showed further increase. The consumption of motor-spirits was very much greater than for any previous year, and. in addition, the registrations of motorvehicles reached peak figures since the advent of this form of transport. If .any further justification for major imi provements to our highways were needed, it is surely to be found in these i (actors, which are a true index of trafI fie densities. j The activities of the Main Highways Board for the period now under review are more particularly described in its annual reports appended to this Statement. The report shows that the total receipts from revenue exceeded I £2,300.000. which is a rcord to date, and J that the total expenditure from the , Main Highways Account for the year I ended 31st March, 1937, on actual works 1 as distinct from loan and special « charges, amounted to £2,400,000, which 11 is almost £BOO.OOO more than was ex- * pended on similar works during the c previous year. Nearly £1.400,000 was f spent last year on reconstruction and « improvements, including the elimina- Jj lion of level railway crossings, £900,000 on maintenance, and £106.000 on 11 the replacement of bridges. In addition to the foregoing, interest and loan charges accounted for £307.516 while * general rate subsidies, which are paid 4 from the Main Highways Account, totalled £195,000. The programme carried through last year incolved the borrowing of £853,500 for main-highways purposes. Since the amalgamation of the Revenue and Construction Funds under the Main Highways Account, true main-tenance-costs have been recorded, and the expenditure during the past financial year amounted to an average of £90.5 per mile. It is not possible to compare this average with previous years by reason of the fact that expenditure under the Revenue Fund was not dissected to show maintenance-costs separately from other work charged to tiic same Fund. In future, however, the trend of maintenance-costs will be readily ascertainable. In order to provide finance for the current year's activities, it is proposed to allocate approximately £1,200,000 for maintenance purposes and £2.600.000 for improvements and reconstruction. Of this latter sum. it is anticipated that £500.000 will be absorbed in the elimination of dangerous railway-level crossings.

A further sum of approximately £230,000 is being proposed for expenditure this year on the replacement of highway bridges. This class of work is being carried out as expeditiously as circumstances permit, but progress is dependent on engineering investigations and designing. It is not practical)! i to standardise plans for the reason that each site presents singular physical and technical features and requires special consideration. During the year ended 31st March. 1937, 9,575 ft of bridging was completed and a further 15.000 fl is at present in process of construction.

As the arterial highways are reconstructed to modern width and curvature, it is (he policy to pave those sections which are heavily trafficked. The last paving-season was characterised by unfavourable conditions due to the prevailing wet weather, but. notwithstanding adverse circumstances, 254 miles of dustless surfacing were completed, ns compared with 277 miles during (lie preceding year. At 31st March, 1937. the total length of paved highways uas 2,127 miles, which is 17.6 per cent, of Hie whole main-highways system. Since the inauguration of (he State highways system, the Board has concentrated on the arterial routes, and in the early future it is anticipated that, a number of metalled sections will be paved, thereby providing continuous paving throughout substantial lengths.

level crossing elimination

Satisfactory progress has been made with the major programme initiated by the Government last year for the elimination of railway level-crossings, and, although completed projects number only fifteen, work is in progress and contracts have been already arranged !' a further sixty-seven. Detailed proposals for an additional sixty-four schemes are completed or in hand preparatory to the commencement of work. Each locality has presented its peculiar technical problems, in some cases of a very complex nature, but the results to date are extremely gratifying. The removal of this source of danger from our highways will undoubtedly result in the prevention of many accidents which certainly would occur if open

crossings mi highways carrying a large volume of traflic were allowed to remain. It must be borne in mind that a feature of railway-crossing accidents is the loss of life and every crossing eliminated means the removal of a potential death-trap. The extent to which main-highways operations are financed by the State is shown by the fact that during the past year approximately .94 per cent, of the cost of improvements and renewals was paid from the Main Highways Account. compared with d per cent, contributed by local authorities. With regard to maintenance 82 per cent, was provided from public funds and 18 per cent, by local authorities. It is reasonable to point out that the administration of a relatively small proportion of public moneys by local authorities warrants the Government cxi -ising a measure of control over the work earned out on a basis more in keeping with the degree of financial responsibility which it assumes. The continued co-operation of local bodies wil 1 be welcomed, as it is appreciated that they can assist materially in the maintenance and development of the Dominion's roading-system by carrying out the functions entrusted to them. Palmerston North Will Celebrate Palmerston North, recently given civic status, and its fertile surrounding district will from 20lli to 27th November celebrate tis diamond jubilee. A comprehensive programme providing for aii manner cf entertainment has been drawn up, one of the most interesting features being the presentation of a locally-written drama on the history of the Manawatu.