ARTERIAL ROADS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17425, 20 September 1918, Page 8

ARTERIAL ROADS

THE QUESTION OF MAINTENANCE. CONFERENCE AT MILTON. Arising out of the conference held at Milton in July to discuss the questions ' of the upkeep of main arterial roads, a meeting of the committee set up (compr;s- ' ing the chairmen and engineers of the local bodies in South Otago and 'iaieri) was held at Milton on Tuesday last. Mr T. Scott (Bruce County) was appointed- chairman. 'Ilie Chairman thought it would be a good idea if the Government, instead of Riving grants, subsidised tno cost of maintaining tho main roads. lie was satisfied ttiat it would be a. bad policy for the Government to take over tho maintenance of main roads running parallel to tho railway. Mr M'lnerney (Tuapeka County) suggested that, not to inflict too much hardship on owners of motor cars and lorries, the Govvernment should inspect all the commodities for motor traffic and sell them at current prices, and the profit could be paid over to keep tho roads in order. As it was, huge profits in this trade went into private hands. Ho moved that the Government be asked to tako this business over.—The motion lapsed. Mr Edie (Tuapeka County) said thai he had seen a report in a paper that Sir William Fraser, on being asked' in the North Island that the upkeep of main roads be taken over by the Government, said that if this was done the cost would have to be -borne by the country contiguous to the main roads. That idea was not feasible. The speaker thought that Government votes were a curse to the country. Government votes, like kissing, went by favour, and it would bo far better for all if these grants were done away with. Air M'lneniej criticised the present system of allocating subsidies on rates. The 'Government paid subsidies on rates up to the extent of three farthings in the pound. This penalised the progressive local bodies which levied rates over that amount so as to form and maintain good roads. Mr North (Clutha County) expressed regret that the Taieri delegates had withdrawn. _ He said he could not favour the suggestion that the Government should take over the importing and selling of motor requisites, because if this was conducted in the same way as tho railways the expenses would' more than eat up all t.ie profits. Motor traffic of all descriptions had come to stay, and it would be the wisest thing for tho Government and local bodies to devise means to make the roads fit to carry this traffic. He was opposed to the Government taking over control of main roads, as he had little confidence in the good management of tho Governments Mr Scott said that in Tokomairiro Riding last year ■ the repairing and metalling for six miles had cost £573. and there was a lot more to do if the riding oould bear tho esppnsi\ but it could not. The main road ran through this riding, and this could be taken as an example of what the problem meant to the council. Mr W. Hitchon (Milton Borough) said he thought a lot of money was wasted on account of the metalling only being done temporarily. If the metal were blinded and rolled in a good permanent surface would b© made, and a considerable amount of metal would be saved, from getting worked out to the sides. Mr J. Ramsay (Clutha County) said the work being done was rather too much of a temporary nature, and it generally took eight yards to the chain to maintain after the metal had been laid. The great trouble in South Otago was that the metal was put' down on a flat road. A road from Clinton to Mosgiel, if formed with a crown and maintained properly, could be kept in good order at a small expense by keeping" a gang with a. suitable plant on it raking and rolling in tlie metal and keeping up the crown. It would be a simple matter to maintain the roads for motor traffic; it was only a question of money and plant. His idea was that the Clutha, Bruce, and . Taieri Countiet combine in getting a plant, and this could be kept going on the-whole stretch of the 'road, say. from Clinton to Mgsgiel. If they could not agree, or the experiment was-not satisfactory, the plant could be sold. Mr M'Neil (Balclutha Borough) agreed with the speakers who held that tho local bodies must keep the roads in pood order for motor traffic. He was in favour of toxin jt motors, cars kept for pleasure purposes being taxed heavier than those used for business. Mr Lindsay (Green Island Borough) considered the principal question which the conference was called on to consider was that of ways and means. It said all the less for the management of the railways : when private enterprise could beat the railway charges by carting on roads which were not in good order. There was nothing in the South Island to beat the roads in Taranaki, which were tarred. He thought ! that the Taranaki roads should be copied, i He agreed with the chairman that the best way to find means for keeping ut> the ! roads would be by subsidies from the I Government on the work done. He would | not pampor and spoonfeed the railway. Both the railway and roads belonged to the people, and if tho railway's cliargns were not suitable, then use the "roads. The traffic on tho main road had been revolutionised in the last 20 yeai-s. He had se«n a splendid road which horse vehicles had not harmed for years, but the motors came, a. little "pot-hole" formed, and that piece of road was sucked out until in a short time tho road was spoiled. Mr Edie compared the costs of surfacing l the railway permanent way and the main" taining of arterial roads. Why should the local bodies bear the full cost of keeping 1 the roads in fit state for motor traffic' The motors paid nothiner for the upkeep, and tliat was why the lorries could beat til a railways. Why, a motor wagon would sometimes do £50 of damage to a road on a 25-mile trip—(A Voice: "That is so.") He contended that the rates were not high enough. Instead of a penny rate it should ' be up to 3d in the pound, and then the farmers would have no reason to complain about the state of the roads. The valuation in force now was entirely rotten. It was monstrous to suggest making tho roads so that they could comnete with the railway, which also belonged to tho people. Was it good business to have two seta of men in a workshop doing exactly the same work ? Mr Maginnesl»-(Chitha Oonnty) said that one road in Catlins—the Owaka Valley road—was the brst road between there and Dunedin. The Catlins people went in for special rating areas, and they went „ the right way to make good roads. The Owaka Valley road had been metalled five years ago, and since then _ not one penny had been spent on repairing, and it did not need it. Speaking generally, lie believed it was not local traffic which damaged tho roads, but the outside traffic, and he thought there should be some provision so that local bodies should not have to bear tho whole cost of the upkeep. After some discussion it was agreed— " That the Government be asked to give pound for pound subsidy on money spent •'n maintaining tho main arterial roads, and that this resolution bo remitted to tie Counties' Association." The motion was carried unanimously. Mr M'lnemny moved—"That the Gov- > eminent be asked to pay a, subsidy of 5s in the pound on all general rates collected. 3 ' This was seconded by Mr North and carried. Mr North moved—" That this conference nrge the claims previously made upon the Government's attention until satisfaction is obtained."--Carried. 1 ( I , / ! j ; i