TOURISTS AND ROADS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18025, 25 February 1922, Page 1 (Supplement)

TOURISTS AND ROADS.

VICTORIA'S EXAMPLE.

BY A. DUNSCOMBB ALLEN, M.S.E.

Thero is food for thought in the reflection that some countries or states, provinces or counties; shine luminously in the matter of road development, tourist progress, waysido accommodation, transport organisation, maps, handbooks and such-like travel stimulant, leaving all the other countries or states and so on guessing how it is done, thinking about it, and hoping " some day" to follow suit. And, to particularise, it is worth while digesting the fact that Victoria—and not Now Zealand, for all its worthily-vaunted scenic blessings—is the example par excellence of the aforementiond virtuous effort. This remark is ventured with no love for invidious criticism, hut rather in the hope that some profit may result from tho comparison—that what can (clearly) bo dono, may be done. The Dominion Government does not appear to havo got beyond tho stage of thinking about road legislation, and, though that is a hopeful sign, those who have taken a hand in promoting this revolution are justly amazed that there should have been so much dalliance. They know that Victoria has had a highways measure in operation for over seven years. They know that, in this period, £2,500,000 of State loan money has been invested in 6000 miles of main road, that there is still £500,000 in hand for future work, that loan money in large amount fias been ear-marked for "Developmental" roads, and that main road maintenance is provided for by the proceeds of the motor tax, «tc.—£loo,ooo p.a.—matched by a £ for £ contribution from local rates. The accomplished fact in Victoria suggests the need for prompt emulation in New Zealand. It is surely 1 preposterous that nothing has been done these plenous years, when all had money to burn. To say that war pre-occupation _ prevented concentration on this activity is to admit to bankruptcy of statecraft. No. the true facts admit of no such plausible excuse. What, during tho wan they could do here (in Victoria) was equally possible across the Tasman Sea.

Country Roads Board. Even now, when the New Zealand Government has tuned up to the pitch of launching,a Roads Bill, they find themselves confronted by a ditch of their own digging. By going all out for 100 per cent, owned, made, and maintained State highways they have both restricted the scheme—owing to financial limitations— and aroused the hostility of local bodies by proposing to assume what the latter deem to bo a normal function of local government. Now, Victoria was wiser in her generation. She merely created a, Country Roads Board, gave it a capital account, and told it to pay one-half the cost of constructing (or reconstructing) approved main roads, and to advance to ( the county councils the other half, repayable with interest over a period of 32i'years. The board was also given a mod from which to repay the counties one-half of all proper maintenance charges. This fund is credited with all motor fees and (note this) motor fines, and also £60,000 p.a. set apart from general revenue. Tho Country Roads Board has proven within seven years that the plan of entrusting the main roads to tne counties and subsidising them to the extent of SO per cent, is quite practicable. Doubtless the reason for this is to be found in tho fact, that the board possesses autocratic powers which enable it to dictate to the local bodies exactly what they must do and how. precisely, it shall be done.. Virtually there is no appeal, for the board is a commission above political influence. As to the "Developmental" roads to which I have referred, an Act of'l9lß (April, 1918—when the war was very much "on!") tjave the board special financial provision and authority to bear the whole cost of constructing, and to leave all maintenance expenso to tjie local body, of any rdad (not being a mam road) which is of sufficient importance and will serve to develop any area of land by providing access to a railway station or to a mam road. Thus it will be seen that the two Victorian Road Acts constitute a perfectly balnnced machine for pushing ahead both highway and by-way transport. Note well that, the work of construction falls, oh a 50-50 basis, on the State and county tovpayer and (he maintenance is met, primarily, by the road user. Note, too, that it is intended now that all vehicle owners,, and not the motorist .alone, shall be taxed to this end.

Th 9 R.A.O.V. In seeking to apportion praise for the excellenco of the edifice above described, I am inclined to give a large measure to the Royal Automobile Club of Victonaanother institution whose model'l commend to the Dominion motorist, because it "governs" the whole of motordom from one headquarters and through several branches. The R.A.C.V. is an extremely energetic body, in which the clubrooms, the bar and billiards are functions thoroughly subordinated to the more important activity of developing the _factfil.es for road travel. The club put its Tour Department in the window-both metaphorically and actually, for it occupies the fore-front of the clubs premises. Al«o the club maintains an outside organiser who finds vent for his enthusiasm in founding new branches and setting their feet along the way to .*' Corinth. One -way and another it is not surprising that the club boasts a consolidated membership of 3000, with accretions of over 50 per month, in fact .the growth is rather about that av.erage since they held their historical 1000 miles Alpine Reliability Trial last November. ■ . Just to ensure the permanent association of the name of the club with the transport "movement," the executive now issues a special supplement in connection with a local publication. From this I cull the following random reflections:—"From small beginnings the club has grown to be the largest institution o its Ld in the southern hemisphere. "The R.A.C.V. is a name to conjure with, great deference being paid to.its views by all bodies. . . *™ "Direction and danger signs have been erected all over Victoria. .And, The club has held tests . . . «i the direction of developing a supply of fuel from the raw materials produced in Australia.

One Unified Motor Association. I could go on quoting fine, robust stuff from this bright 25-page supplement. Space forbids, however, so the reader must be content with this excerpt. 1 have given it in the hope that it may provide inspiration for the New Zealand motor organisations. Would that I could say " organisation"—singular, not plural -for the full value of association will not be reaped by tho Dominion motorist unless, and until, he speaks through one unified body. I have much more to say about motoring in Victoria, but must now confine myself to two items—national parks and maps, as regards both of which the State Tourist Department can flive points to the New Zealand Tourist Department and beat it. To the Victorian national parks and through them there are motor roads. Within them, too, are accommodation huts—for the use of which the charge is nil—not 2s 6d per night (or £1 per week to pitch a tent) as at Tongariro. From first to last I have.been drawing comparisons, invidious, not to New Zealand, but to a few matters, which they, in their maturcr wisdom, handle better over here. I should like to think that out of the many separate motor associations and from the two unions (North and South) there may fuse out, a single potent body, with an immense power to influence transport developments and an ability to assume the, duties of catering for the road tourist which the Tourist Department has so signally failed io discharge. There mus be a great getting together before all this is accomplished.