MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20317, 27 January 1928, Page 7

MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

INVERCARGILL TO LAWRENCE. LARGE NUMBER OF REQUESTS. (Fbom Oue Special Reporter.) LAWRENCE, January 26. After leaving Invercargill this morning the members of the Main Highways Board passed through Mataura, where the borough representatives were assured that the portion of the through road in the town would be declared a part of the main highway. The question of a new bridge over the Mataura River, estimated to cost £BOOO. was pul before the members, and the Chairman (Mr F. W. Furkcrt) said that the matter depended upon whether or not the road linked by the bridge was declared a secondary highway. At the dose of the meeting the party left for Lawrence via Gore and Tapanui. A brief halt was made at the latter centre, where the borough authorities weio informed that about a-quarter of a mile of the mam highway passing through the township would be brought under the main highways scheme of subsidy. Lawrence was reached in time tor lunch, and in the early afternoon the board was approached by members ot the Lawrence Borough Council and the Tanpeka County Council. Mr William Cameron, county chairman, welcomed the party. Mr John Bennetts, representative of the county on the District Highways Council, placecl the requirements of the district before the meeting. He referred to the request for a connecting highway between the Clarkesville-Sprinkvale road and the Tuapeka road. This would be of gieat benefit, not only to residents, but to travellers passing through. The distance was 17 miles, a fair proportion of which was in good order There was also a road from Kelso to Matheson’s corner, which the county considered should be connected This was a distance of seven miles. A third request was that the mile of road from Roxburgh to the railway station should be declared a highway. At present there was very heavy traffic on this section, because of the cartage of fruit. Further, there was a section of three miles over the Conical hills to Pomahaka. This was the natural outlet for settlers in that district, but at certain times of the year it was in a very bad condition. None of the requests was being made in a light wav and each of the roads was urgently required. In praising the administration of the board, he pointed out that the county had received no exceptional assistance, apparently because its house was in order, whereas some of the malingerers had fared better, because of the interim condition of their roads. Mr Bennetts also referred to the Roxburgh bridge, which had become buckled with the passing of the last two years, because of the lack of space for the expansion of the material. He asked if assistance could be given to remedy this. g Mr Furkert said that as this bridge was on the road between Roxburgh and the railway head the question would be considered with that of declaring the road B M? JLG.’ Gibson, Government represen talive on the board, asked the cost of the B Bennetts said that it would be approximately £BOO a mile. Mr A. C. Leary (Brown s Siding representative for the county) said that the road would not b© put in condition for next 20 years unless the assistance or the board was received. In reply to the speakers, Mr Furkert complimented the county ° n , i* -3 im P r ?J’ e l ment in its roads. He understood that the requests deatiled had been sent forward and approved by the District Highways Council, but until the requests from all parts of New Zealand had been received the final selection could not be made. However, as the county was asking for only about 32 miles, be thought it probable "that the full requests would be complied with. In regard to the luapeka Mouth road, the board had not anticipated entering on a large programme of construction in cases where a large portion of the road was unformed. The question would have to be considered m M ellington. Mr Duncan M'Lennan (representative of the Beaumont Riding) asked if special consideration could be given to his riding in view of the heavy expenditure on the roads, .Mr Furkert said that the board could not undertak 9 to settle domestic disputes in cases where adjoining districts would not help each other, and that it was a matter for th e ridings to fight out among themselves.

“ I think you can take it that the board will not consider applications from ridings,” said Mr A. E. dull (counties’ representative on the board). It does its business with the counties, and it seems to me there is too much rigidity in local government in this part of the country in putting the position of the borough before the board.” Mr A. Arthur (Deputy Mayor) said that two miles of the mam highway, including three bridges, were in the borough. Mr Furkert explained that-the portion of road referred to would be declared a, main highway next month, and the borough would receive 30s in the £ for maintenance and £ for £ for such work as tar-sealing and a width of 18ft, as set by the board, as the area in the boroughs to be treated as main highways. IMPORTED TIMBERS AND THE GOVERNMENT. TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —Your leading article this morning under th e heading of “ A Pertinent Question ” supports the Palmerston North Borough Council’s protest against the Gov. eminent architect’s action in utilising a proportion of Oregon and redwood imported timbers for the new Massey Agricultural College. You state that “ th e Palmerston North Borough Council effects a palpable hit in reminding the Government that it is neglecting a splendid opportunity of practising what it preaches when it fails to give preference to New Zealand timbers.” ; Your article concludes by saying that “ no doubt something will be heard on the other side, but in the meantime the Palmerston North Borough Council has raised a pertinent question.” So far as the other side is concerned, I should like to point out that your own company has nearly completed up-to-date new premises in High street; Many thousands of feet of imported Oregon timber has been used in the main construction of the building. Nearly all the doors throughout are made of Oregon, whilst the finishings of the main corridor on the first floor (including the editorial offices, etc.) are almost entirely of imported timbers. The walls of these rooms and corridor are panelled in imported oak threeply, and the doors, cover battens, skirtings, architraves, and mouldings are of Oregon. Before using Oregon so freely in your own new buildings, both for' constructional and finishing work, surely your management/ was convinced that “’for the purpose in view ” it was justified in giving this timber preference over certain local products? So why, in the circumstances, blackguard the Government if its officials likewise show a marked preference for Oregon?— I am, etc.. Ebwd. T. G. Falcoxkr, Chairman Dunedin Imported Timber Merchants’ Association. January 26. [Oregon timber has been used in the new premises to which reference is made because dried red pine was not procurable i 6 , ret l ulre d lengths. Oak is, outside the trade, at all events, not regarded as a foreign timber—En. O.D.T.]