CONCRETE ROADS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14738, 18 October 1918, Page 5

CONCRETE ROADS.

On "DEMONSTRATION TO BE' UNDEPv.TAKEN BY COOK COUNTY. For some time past members of tin Cook County Council have been informally discussing the feasibility of introducing concrete d*>ads|- .as, - j.^. sojutioy of the present he&vjr cost* of ■ road maintenance. The matter wag brought tc & head to-day, when Cr. F. S. Bowen, •who has beeni keenly interested iii the 'subject, moved that authority bo given to 'lay doysrn half a; dozen chains of conorefk roM>i- The present roads,i.-.he : went on to point, out, were cjuite inadequate. During the past 15 years there had been considterable improvement m .road'v.constructioni throughout the world, and this had been la^rgely; brought abput by motor Cars. They liad a lot of information on the subject from America, and after referring I -to tfiis .and' ithe,; result of roadmakincpin Taranaki, at Hastings and Auckland, tlie speaker urgexL.thtit experience 'sljpwed that the foundation of a road! was the^esaence of . its .value, and that any surf acing, ' was merely a veneer. If "the foundation went, the road went. With concrete roads,) however, they liad the same strength throughout, Avhilst the water m- wet, marshy ground could not penetrate it, Six gentlemen were prepared- ' Ao offer to lay down* a chain each with a view -' to demonsti'ating the value of concrete roads, viz., Messrs. Williams .Bros., Faulkner (away on active sej^i^V. I\*l. nn<3 Riichard Coop, the chairman and himself. They were willjijjg pny^the coat of a chain each, and if satisfactory at the end of twelve months the Council was to pay the actual cost of the work. It was proposed to put this down m the Gisborne riding, and if at the iend oE twelve months it was not highly Satisfactory the Council would not be ttsked 1 to pay anything towards the cost. (Proceeding, * the* speaker snid< it was "estimated that m the. past .10.ityegis.4t had cost the Council £203,CC0 for the maintenance of its roads and £167,000 for the previous 10 years, a substan--tial. total for the last 20 years, and they tetill -were unsatisfactory. The ■ intension was to simply demonstrate the {value, i and lie asked tlie Council to "favorably consider the offer. It was proposed to, put the piece of road down , Jbetween the railway crossing at Maka-a-aka, and the Makaraka "hotel". "Ci\ •Howen acMed that he considered that 'the cost of maintenance, m the. next 20 years would be nearer £700,000. : Cr. Witters said *he was pleased to hear of the offer, but thought it was kinconditional; - ■ ' >■ v y Cr. Bowen: We are not a benevollent institution. • Cr.. Witters said they had discussed, ;it previously, and he had agreed to take it . over on behalf of • Gisborne riding, but desired/limitations as to cost. Cr. Bowen said it was estimated to cost x £40 or £50 a chain, but would •be done at the lowest possible cost.. Ho had practically arranged to secure the Joan of a conarcte miier._ ........ ? Cr. Witters, m congratulating Cr. Bowen on his determination to te^t., the concrete- road system, said it was ! out of the question to continue this method of road construction. : The fac,t of it being put 'down wowld Snake thertii dissatisfied with the present road. He j suggested the expenditure be limited to ; £200, and. he thought four chains would 1 demonstrate as well as six chains. Cr. Bowen said ii'^it was successful he would ask, the otfrer' ridings to- adopt' a similar demonsti'atipn. - .:■.,<.■■. I After further discussion it was agreed by Cr. Bowen to accept repayment of £200, but if a complete success to rediscuss the payment of the balarice of • the cost. The motion was seconded by the chairman, and carried. \ Cr. Bowen also" asked for authority for the County overseer to make 200 cpnarete blocks similar to those .he had imported, and to lay down same on Muriwai load, pointing out that the motor bus -service was proving- . very bac? to the Muriwai road. . Jf the blocks were made, .the Muriwai settlers were prepared to put down the blocks free of cost. — The necessary permission was given. li? 1 r,>.