MARLBOROUGH ROADS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 31, Issue 27, 8 April 1919, Page 4

MARLBOROUGH ROADS.

A VISITOR’S IMPRESSIONS. In the course of a special report submitted at a recent meeting of the Waimea County Council, the Engineer (Mr G. S. Whiteside) made the following reference to district roads: The roads through Marlborough are generally rough, dusty and broken up with the dry weather. A stretch of about 16 miles between Kaikoura and Hundalee is in splendid order, and the green native bush makes pleasant travelling and picturesque scenery.. Through Canterbury, in many places the roads are good, but the travelled can invariably tell when he is approaching a borough or centre at population, as the roads show the usual signs of being torn up, and heavy weary travelling is experienced. Between Christchurch city and Kaiapoi borough the road is decidedly bad. As another traveller put it, “the road had all gone to pieces.” In Otago many of the rends are far from excellent. Around Oamaru the roads are in a fair way. It was there I noticed two motor-lorries at work hauling metal for the roads, and I was informed these were giving satisfaction. In Southland Province, I found the best roads anywhere. There the roads are level to undulating for miles and miles around Invercargill. The good class of shingle found in the rivers traversing the lowlands and plains, coupled with damp climatic conditions in summer are very favourable for the upkeep of roads. Between the town of Invercargill and Wallacetown or about 2 to 8 miles out, where the traffic congests, the road is in a very bad state at present. In'Southland, some of the metal hauling on long distances is still being done with steam . traction en-' gines. These are light machines of 5 to 6 horse-pewer, and the trucks are also light, holding about 3 cubic yards of gravel each. This kind of haulage is all done by contract., The owners of this class of machine do this sort of work cheaply when the harvest work, threshing, and chaffing is done. The method of metal hauling does not find much favour with the general public. The Southland County Council has disposed of its larger traction engine owing to it being too destructive to roads and culverts. That body still owns a •light traction engine, using it chiefly for transporting bridge material and plant. The maintenance of the ordinary gravelled roads is done by depositing, during the autumn time, fine selected shingle about 1J inches in size alongside the roadway in depots. The very wide road reservations in Southland makes this convenient. When the wet weather shows up the pet holes, a little fine gravel is spread in the waney places, and the wet weather and traffic soon consolidates it. Binding gravel with earth or soft material is not considered good practice, and goes quickly into dust in summer and mud in winter. Nowhere did I learn of ordinary metalled country roads being consolidated with heavy steam rollers, though such are used and are essential for tar sealing or tar macadam work. However, I noticed a three-ton, water-weighted horse road roller belonging to the Government at the Leader River near Parnassus. I was informed that it had been only partially successful as a metal binder.