MODERN ROADS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19897, 27 March 1939, Page 7

MODERN ROADS

TRANSPORT AND DEFENCE MINISTER STRESSES NEED GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. The importance of a properlyplanned roading system was stressed by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, when opening the new bridge over the Rakaia River to-day. Mr. Semple said that modern roads were not only necessary for transport in times of peace, but formed an integral part of the national defence scheme. “Herr Hitler realised this before he began to dictate to the world, added Mr. Semple. "He built the best roading system the world has ever seen, and having accomplishing that commenced a plan for the expansion of Germany. England condemned her own roading system and is now reconstructing it on the lines adopted by Herr Hitler. “We must also build roads for defence purposes in New Zealand, for no scheme of defence can succeed these days if the roading system of the country is obsolete. In modern times we have to mobilise men and commodities as quickly, as safely and as eheanly as possible. That is where the proper planning of the roading svstem begins.” The Minister added that for many years the capacity of New Zealand had been suffering under the handicap of inadequate means of access. There was a higgledy-piggledy sort of road that Served as a highway. Each bend had been baptised with the blood of innocent persons, but this menace was being overcome as quickly as possible. Wellington could not be evacuated for days should a hostile force raid the capital and drop bombs, and a similar ghastly state of affairs would arise in time of an earthquake.

Realising the gravity of the problem, the Government had determined to build a new modem highway leaning and out of Wellington. Under the old methods this work would have taken seven years to complete, but, with the mechanical aids now at the disposal of the Public Works Department, said Mr. Semple, ne had, undertaken to complete the job in nine months. Already he was ahead of schedule. The Government was doing the maximum possible to make the roading and bridging improvements that were essential to New Zealand’s progress.