WANTED-A ROAD

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11190, 21 April 1922, Page 3

WANTED-A ROAD

MR G. MITCHELL, M.P., ON COMMUNICATION. ADDRESS AT LOWER HUTT. . Something of the history of a pressing question was gone into by Mr G. Mitchell, M.P., at the first meeting of .the Hutt Valley Progress League, which was formed last evening. Speaking on the question of transport, Mr Mitchell concentrated upon the matter of the Hutt road. In 1914 provision had’ been taken in a hill for the concreting of a strip of twenty feet along the Hutt road. Ibis was to cost £20,000, and the proportions of the cost were to be divided among Wellington (about 160 per cent.), Petone (18 per cent.), ,Mqfcara (12 per cent)) Lower Hntt (II per cent.),- anil minor boroughs. In the. light of experience in roadmaking since then, tue decision of tho authorities would probably be reviewed. It was found that concrete, once broken, could not b© mended. It was considered that a block road macadamised would not bear the tremendous traffic upon that section of road. The ideal road would ‘bo a concrete bed with a tw-o-inch carpet of bitumen, which latter would -need renewing from time to time. It would cost £20,000 to lay a twenty-foot track from Wellington to Petone. This was a large amount; but -at present it cost £4OOO a year to keep -the road in repair—and it wasn’t a road. The saving in the matter of machinery alone would be great. Such a tpad as this concrete one would cost a little more than the present charge for maintenance, sinking fund, etc., “but it would be a read, and one to be proud of.” A good read, also, should he laid down out towards the Wairarapa, and it would be one of the first duties of the body to take steps to secure such roads.

As far ias railways were concerned, the Wellington suburbs were far behind any other part ot the Dominion. He considered that the fqture held on electric train ‘ service for the valley, and this service should open up the whole valley. There was no cheaper means of transit than a properly-run railway service.