ROAD FORMATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10541, 18 March 1920, Page 5

ROAD FORMATION

AND THE USE OF- TAR '■'TAR-SEALING'-' PROCESS. At the" last meeting of the Horowlienua County Council (wiites «ur Otaki correspondent) the engineer's report contained reference to toad formation and tile use of tar in connection therewith. Following; are extracts: — "1 attended the conference of civil engineers held in Duuediu, and although there were not many subjects of immediate interest to us uiscussod, at the same time I got much valuable iiiiormatiun. "In ,t-cl'creiico to tJie tar-scaling _ of our roads, I think this is the most important; subject as far as wo. arc con-, cerncd at present. The discussion on this suhjoel was rather limited, as there wore none of tho Tarauaki engineers present, and so far Taramilci seems to be the home of tar-seal. Mr L'ouson, the city engineer of Christchurch, read a most interesting paper on tar paving, * etc.', anil this elicited a great deal of discussion, and many contradictory views on the different methods of using tar"''THe''author" 6f tho paper would not see any virtue in tar uixiorß all the ammonia and light oils •were first extracted from it. This he does by distilling it at about 350 degress of heat. I may say I had the pleasure of inspecting his work and 1 must confess it is the beet I have seen. It is now? laid" in lnaoy'of tb'a' principal streets in ChratchuTch about three inches thick, and i.s subjected to all sorts of traffic, yet he claims the maintenance is. very little. "A well-known North Island engineer gave it as his experience that raw or crude tar can he used equally well' as boiled or distilled if it is ripened to a certain consistency. I wilf have more to say on -thifi .subject when'the year's estimates comes on a mouth hence, as I am fully convinced wo will have" to do something, and all are .agreed that concrete is out of the question on account of its cost." !