HOW TO MAKE STREETS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14810, 13 October 1911, Page 6

HOW TO MAKE STREETS.

LESSONS FROM WELLINGTON.

GOOD SURFACES, NO DUST.

THE MAYOR IMPRESSED.

Ix view Of the intention of the Auckland City Council to undertake extensive street improvements shortly the Mayor, Mr. C. J. Parr, when in Wellington during the early part of the present week, took the opportunity of inspecting the -work which the Wellington City Council has done in the direction of road-making. . Speaking to a Herald representative yesterday the Mayor stated that while in tho capital city he had two interviews with the city engineer (Mr. Morton) and visited several streets in company with him. "I want," Mr. Parr proceeded, to congratulate Wellington upon its excellent main thoroughfares. The four miles of wood-blocking laid ; down eight years ago at a cost of £70,000 is wearing extremely well. Indeed there is no sign of any serious wear yet, the surface having been carefully preserved by a coating of tar and sand every year. They have also laid down several streets in tarred macadam. One street I saw has been down three years, and although it has received no attention during that period it is in excellent condition still. As a result of my visit I am confirmed in the opinion I previously expressed in favour of the tar treatment foe the secondary streets ■ where the traffic rs not unusually heavy." '.'■•• \■' '' ' "Wellington having the reputation of being a dusty place," continued Mr. Parr, "I naturally inquired into their methods of dealing with the nuisance. Mr. Morton informed me that he has been using a tar-fprinklaf [ for some time with good results. The tar-sprinkler costs "£l5O. It heats the tar and' throws it out in a shower on to the roads, and when this mixture is coated with sand it forms a splendid surface. By this means both the mud and dust are kept down Seeing that this . system: has worked so well in Wellington, I cannot help thinking that if our streets leading off from Queen-street on each side were treated in the same way the dust nuisance in Auckland would be 1 very much minimised."

Wellington, in Mr. Parr's opinion, owes a great deal to Mr. Morton;.- He has given Wellington better streets than can be seen in Brisbane, Sydr.?y, or Melbourne. .'■;..'"'"'"•' {f J I -;■:'':