MAIN NORTH ROAD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19350, 10 December 1924, Page 7

MAIN NORTH ROAD.

PEES ENT DEPLORABLE CONDITION.

MOTOR CLUB TAKES ACTION, The present deplorable condition of tho Main North road through Waikouaiti wart discussed at seme length at a meeting of the Otago Motor Club last evening. Tne matter was introduced by the president (Mr A. E. Ansell), who explained the position very clearly to members. 1 Mr Ansell said that the most urgent mat- , ter before the club at the present moment ~ was the condition, so far as Dunedin motorLsts were concerned, of the Main North road. Under the Highways Act the .Highways Board was only allowed to give 59 per cent, subsidy to the cost of maintenance. This was very unfair to a county situated such as Waikouaiti, which had thav concentrated traffic leading to a city maintain. The total rates of the Wailcon--niti County Council amounted to £SOOO, from which £I7OO was paid annually asi a. Hospital rate, leaving a balance of £3500. The maintenance requirements, as estimated I by the district engineer, was £2IOO, and £I4OO of this would be required to he found by the Waikouaiti. Council, the Highways Board contributing £7OO. This feft the. Waikouaiti Council a balance of only £1900; to maintain ail other roads in the county and all the usual overhead expenses. It 1 was absurd to- suggest that this county should be compelled to keep this road in ' order with the assistance of a 30 per cent, grant for maintenance, when over 80 per cent, of the total traffic ovor the road was through traffic, from which the council re- . ceived no benefit whatever. If the Highways Board declared this road Government road it had power to subsidise maintenance cost more heavily, but this 'the■ ... board had refused to do. and the present ; ‘position revealed a great weakness in the Highways Act. Dunedin _ motorists had good reason to be dissatisfied with _ tha state of the road at the present time, which was an absolute disgrace to the district, and the Waikouaiti County Council „■ could not be held responsible for it* present ; condition. The maintenance work of the ~ Waikouaiti Council had been of a crude ,s order. The Motor Club had supported -tha Waikouaiti Council’s application to have a ; portion of the road declared a Government road. The reply received by the dub was to the effect that the Highways Board refused to consider the proposition, and had suggested that the Dunedin City Council and the Otago Motor Club should assist in maintaining the road. This was .? ■ very unfair position to piacs the City Council and the Motor Chib in. Dunedin motorists were now paying taxes to have the roads kept in order, and it was not just that they should be again hsked to provide maintenance fott suon roads. Probably 70 per cent, of the mileage ; j run by Dunedin motorists was within the - oonfines of the city, and the city did HOG j receive one penny from the Highways Board towards the maitenance cost, and yet it was asked to subscribe towards maintaining roads outside the city. As & , matter of expediency the Motor Club intended to assist the Waikouaiti Council, , and also to ask assistance from the City ; Council. This would probably tide the •) matter over until some suitable amend- < ment had been made to the Highways- Act „■ which would enable tha Highways Board to deal more equitably with such counties ; as Waikouaiti. The idea of a tar-sosled - road must stand aside in the meantung, « and maintenance must come first,' * f ■ Too club’s contribution should be in the mature > of maintenance after the road had been put in order, and in the meantime he , thought it advisable for the Motor Club to take the initiative and convene a Conference with the City Council, the Waikouaiti County Council, and the Motor Club, when some practical scheme for immediate improvement to the road might be evolved. , , , . Mr p. W. Breen said that the club was paying taxes, and it was time something was done to the road. _ A visitor from Scotland had informed him that the toad , was one, of the most deplorable he had ever seen. He felt sure that if a, conference was hold something would eventually be done. ..... , Mr W. Wright said that the road WM one of the main highway entrances to Dunedin, and the traffic was consequently very heavy. He asked if it would be Feasible to get sufficient gravel for the road. He suggested that the club ascertain if it would be possible to have the road spread . with gravel, . Mr P. L. Passmore said it would bo far better for the Dunedin authorities to appoint a qualified engineer to survey the r °Mr A. I. Wood said that the club had been hammering away with the matter for some time, but had not got any further, forward. He agreed with the chairman a statement that the Waikouaiti County Council should bo urged to put the road m order. The trouble was that there was no system ■ of putting roads in proper order. Tha matter ot maintenance was the mosfc important, and the club should do all m ito power to have tho Highways Act amended. Visitors to the Exhibition would form a. very poor opinion of roads in the south if tho Main North road was allowed to remain in its present state. Mr J. Roberts said it would be advisableif representatives from the Expansion League and the Chamber of Commerce were invited to be present at tho conference, and a motion to that effect was carried. . : Mr Ansell said the club should send .a, letter to the Highways Board protesting, : against the present unsatisfactory state of ; tile road. . , . , A motion to this effect was earned unanimously, , ~ , ■ ' The Chairman said that delegates attending the conference would report to the dob , in due course. They had the sympathy o| the citizens in the matter, and they could rest assured that every effort would be made- : to have the road put in proper order.