MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20174, 7 February 1929, Page 12

MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

NORTH AUCKLAND TOUR.

GROWING MAINTENANCE COSTS.

REQUESTS FOR LARGER SUBSIDY.

[by telegraph.—own correspondent.] DAKGAVILLE, Wednesday.

Tho members of the Main Highways Board, who aro touring North Auckland spent a busy... day in tho Otamatea and Ilobson Counties yesterday.

A pica was mado by tho Otamatea County Council for the scheme for widen ing and strengthening tho Ruawai to Paparoa station load to enable it to bo constituted a four-ton heavy traffic road. Tho estimated cost is £43,000, or £71,000 with tar-sealing. Tho prospective largo increase in heavy traffic between Ruawai and tho railway at Paparoa was cited as justification for tho request. Mr. A. E. .lull, acting-chairman of the board, said the proposal was something far ahead of anything previously made anywhere in the Dominion for reconstruction. There were scores of roads in that locality which were not metalled at all, and ho was ot the opinion that tho expenditure of £71,000 raised from taxation on motorists was not warranted on tho road in question.

Regarding the maintenance subsidy of £3 for £l, paid by the board on the Dargaville-Maungaturoto main highway, it was pointed out by Mr. R. J. Baff, county engineer, that tho subsidy was inadequate and as a result .byroads in the Tokatoka, Ruawai and Matakoho Ridings wore suffering. A 'subsidy of £6 for £1 was desired. Maintenance on tho road was costing £2OO to £250 a milo over a distance of 27 miles, and the position had become acute.

Mr. Jull said the subsidy roquest would come beforo the board, but it was-obvious that if the statutory subsidy, which was £2 for £l, was to bo increased threefold tho whole position of maintenance throughout the country would have to bo reviewed.

It was indicated that preparatory work toward the renewal of the Paparoa bridge would be commenced beforo March 31.

At Dargaville the party was welcomed by Mr. V. Trounson, chairman of the Hobson County Council In connection with tho Tokatoka deviation Mr. Troun son asked that the board should make a free money grant sufficient to complete tho sandstoning of the deviation, if possible beforo the coming winter. Mr. Jul! said tho matte would bo considered by the board.

The Hobson County Council requested that the board's subsidy for the maintenance of the AVairoa bridge to Mititai Road should be increased from £3 for £1 to £6 for £l. Mr. Trounson said whereas this road had formerly cost about £4O a mile to maintain it was now costing £2OO a mile, and back roads in the riding concerned were suffering as a consequence. Of the 180 miles of metalled roads in the county 82 mileo were main highways. "We can't do the lot," said Mr. Trounson "The back roads are not getting their share." The Government money spent on this road aggregated only £2OOO. It was also desired that when the Tokatoka deviation was completed to the county boundary the increased subsidy asked for should be applied there. Mr. Jull said this request seemed to indicate that Dargaville and the county did ,not attach much importance to their main outlet when a £6 for £1 subsidy was asked for on a road which served the very centre of the district. He explained that while the motor tax was producing large sums there were certain statutory obligations" which had to bo observed. The matter would bo reviewed, but it appeared to him that the subsidy asked for was exceedingly high for a road serving tho centre of the county. Other matters brought before the board were tho declaration as a highwiy of four and a-half miles of metalled road, a continuation past Te Kopuru of the Dargaville-Te Kopuru main highway, an increase in tho subsidy for maintenance on the last-mentioned road, and tho declaration as a highway of tht stretch of about 11 miles now being metalled between Kailni and the entrance to Waipou;» Forest. The first two requests were regarded by Mr. Ju!l as having quite ;i lot of merit.

SOUTH AUCKLAND VISIT.

PROGRAMME FOR NEXT WEEK. On the completion of its present tour of inspection in North Auckland the Main Highways Board will meet a number of local bodies in the city and in South Auckland.

Tho board will return from the North next Sunday, and on Monday will meet the Auckland Harbour Bridge Association, the Wnitemata County Council, the Northcote and Birkenhead Borough Councils, and tho Auckland Automobile Association at the Chamber of Commerce rooms. Tho board will also confer with other local bodies in and near tho city.

On Tuesday tho board will leave for Hamilton, via Pukekohe, and will meet thfl Franklin County Council, the Pukekoho Borough Council, the Waiuku and Huutly Town Boards, tho Ngaruawahia Borough Council and the Raglan and Waikato County Councils. Tho following day conferences will be held with the Cambridge Borough Council at Cambridge, and tho To Awamutu Borouph Council and Waipa County Council at Te Awamutu. The board will go to Kawhia in tho evening. •