MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12095, 24 March 1925, Page 6

MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

GLOSINC TOLL GATES WARNING TO LOCAL BODIES RE , DUTIES. IMPORTANT OPERATIONS. The usual monthly meeting of the Main .Highways Board was held on March 19th and 20th, Mr F. W. Furlcert. presiding. The principal question dealt with by the board was that of the closing o f toll-gates in Taranaki. There lias been considerable agitation lor the closing of these gates, more particularly by the motorists, since the passing of the Motor' Vehicles Act and the Public Works Amendment Act, 1924. The board decided to agree to the request of the counties having tojl-gates to’ pay half interest and sinking fund on the loans raised for the purposes of improving the roads affected by the gates, and subject to Government ratification the whole of the gates will be closed on March 31st, 1925. The board has issued instructions to District Highway Councils for the preparation of annual estimates, and also for the annual review of main highways. The annual review will he mad*> by' the board at the next meeting, which will he held on April 16th, 1925. MONEY WANTED. The circular issued last month by the board to local authorities regarding the laxity in submitting claims for payment of Hie board’s share of maintenance has had the result of an increase in the board’s expenditure, but authorisations are still considerably in excess of disbursements, although an improvement is hoped for by the end of the financial year. AMENDING THE ACT. Representations from various sources have been made to the board for an increase in the preparation of inaintenanee subsidy payable by it. The majority of the requests have been for the payment of maintenance subsidies according to the proportion of foreign traffic, hut the determining of the amount of foreign traffic throughout the year is a most* difficult matter, ana in any case the funds available to the board would not meet payments on this basis. The board, however, is recommending to the Government an amendment to the Main Highways Act, giving it additional discretionary powers in this direction. MONTH’S WORK.

The following is the monthly report of the activities of the board on the more important works being carried out:— Waipapakauri-Victoria Valley: Three miles of re-formation and metalling have been completed by the local authorities in a satisfactory manner, and at considerably less than the estimates. Great South xoad-Rangiriri Hills deviation: There now only remain 35 chains to be metalled. It is expected that this will be completed during the present month, while on the portion between" itangiriri _ and Ohinewai there still remain 1* miles of metalling to be. done. Gisborne-Opotiki via the Coast.— Good progress is being made with the reformation and metalling of the section' from Pouava to Tolbga Bay. One and a half miles of metalling have been completed, and a further 14 miles of foundation course have been laid. Eight lorries are at present employed, and a further three are now being transferred to that district. Gisborne-Wairoa . via Morere.—A promising deviation is new being- tried at Morere Hill, by ■which _ the road may be shortened by one mile, and the grades be much improved. \ Woodville-Palmerston North. Woodviile county 75 chains have been prepared for tar sealing, while on the Government portion the regrading for 92 chains is almost completed. Te Kuiti-Bulis. —RaunmurWaimarino section. The Prisons Department have completed 170 chains of formation on the soiral, and 40 chains of metalling towards the south boundary of the Kaitieke county. Auckland-Wellington via Taranaki. — On the Awakino end 81 chains of metal have been laid, leaving only If miles to complete, while on the Tongaporutu end 78 chains have been laid, thus leaving only two miles to complete at this end; the total now left for*’ completion 19 still over three miles. On Mount Messenger 98 chains have been tar sealed. In the Inglewood county 108 chains of penetration bitumen metalling have now been completed. Wollington-Auckland via Taranaki.— On the Paremata-Porirua section the Public Works Department has already started operations on the realignment and widening of the road, preparatory to gravelling. The minimum curvature on this road will on be two chains radius, with minimum widths of 20 feet, and additional width at the curves. / Wellington-Napier; via Wairarapa.On the Akatarawa-Maungaroa section the deviations at both these points are being started. Flood damage from the summit Rimutaka Hill to Abbot’s bridge lias.been repaired. LOCAL BODIES’ DUTIES. The main highways, generally speaking, are being maintained in a satisfactory manlier, although there are certain exceptions where the local bodies must be asked to carry out their duties Tile parts that have been noticed as unsatisfactory are: AucklandWellington road through Manukau county; Auckland-Wellington road through " Wanganui county • AucklandWellington road through Makara county; Wellington-Napier. via Wairarapa, through Wairarapa South county; Wellington-Napier via Wairarapa through Hawke’s Bay county; Napier-Gisborne road through Hawke’s Bay county; Petane-Taupo road through Hawke’s Bay County; NelsonBlenheim road through Waimea County. WEIGHING MOTOR VEHICLES. Two loadometers for the weighting of motor vehicles have arrived, and will be put into operation on the gazetting of the heavy traffic regulations under the Public Works Amendment Act, 1924. In the South Island there is very little to report in the way of construction. Most of the work that is being done is maintenance; while in the North Island there are many proposals that have been already approved, and many that are now being received or are expected at an early date. •