THE MOTOR ROADS AROUND CHRISTCHURCH

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1790, 8 November 1919, Page 9 (Supplement)

THE MOTOR ROADS AROUND CHRISTCHURCH

after running a few miles, the pressure will be up to the proper figure, because the grinding action of the under-inflated tyre has produced heat enough to expand the air in the tyre. But let the car stand for a while and you have a flat tyre. "Then try the right way. Travel with the air in the tyres properly attended to, the correct inflation pressure at all times. When the tyre cools off there is no tendency for it to go flat. . "The fact to remember is this—in spite of what a lot of alleged experts tell you, keep your tyres inflated to the proper pressure at all times." Tyre Rotation. Few motorists realise the importance of mounting new tyres on rear wheels, moving up the partly-woven tyres of the front wheels. This principle of tyre rotation, if strictly followed, will increase tyre mileage as much as 50 per cent. It may sound like exaggeration, but careful tests have proved that this increase often results. The service which tyres are called upon to give on front wheels is much less severe than that required on rear wheels. Tyres nearly worn out in service on the rear wheels will run for hundreds and often thousands of miles under less severe condtions if put on the front wheels.

more just and equitable arrangement being introduced. Furthermore, we must now look to increased activity in our primary industries to meet our heavy war indebtedness, and all this spells increased uses of our means of communication. It must be generally admitted that the solution of the mainroad problem is one of the greatest "efficiency" needs of New Zealand to-day. Whatever the outlay, the position must be boldly faced, with the sure and certain knowledge that the work necessary to ensure good results, shall be carried out on a correct and scientific system. At present we are suffering from the expensive tyranny of custom which is standing in the way of national advancement. Lessons from Overseas. First of all we should see what other countries are doing to improve their roads, in the hope that we might discover some system, already beyond the experimental stage, which might be adapted to suit New Zealand requirements. The United States of America, the home of modern ideas in many things, offers a most interesting object lesson, and it is felt that quite a great deal can be learnt from that country. There is the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916, which provides financial and technical aid to the various States for rural post roads. Fifteen million pounds are to be spent in subsidising £ for £ approved types and methods of construction, spread over a period of five years. This offer, by the way, is contingent upon the assisted State establishing a competent Roads Board to expend all funds devoted to road construction out-

may therefore be compared with the Canterbury Progress League. Coming nearer home, we have an excellent object lesson in Australia. The importance of having good roads, under a unified system of control, was recognised in Victoria in 1915 in the passing of the Country Roads Act, and, in Tasmania and Queensland, by constant agitation that is going on in the same direction. In Auckland we find a movement has already been started in the formation of a Good Roads Association, which has for its object the carrying into effect in this country of the Victorian scheme with such modifications as are considered necessary. The Auckland people have gone thoroughly into this question, and, after examining various schemes which are in operation in all parts of the world, and which are all more or less similar in principle, decided to support the Victorian scheme. Victorian Scheme Explained. This scheme provides for the establishment of a Country Roads Board, comprising three persons appointed for a term of five years, two being experienced road engineers, and the other an officer of the Public Works Department trained in local government matters. This board first determines what should be "main roads" under the Act, and, after being approved by the Governor-in-Council, they are gazetted as such. In eluded in the term "main roads" are not only arterial roads, but highways carrying considerable traffic between centres of population. Before any road may be declared a "main road," the proposals have to be submitted to local bodies concerned, who

local body proposed to be charged, giving a detailed statement of its proposals. A time is fixed to hear objections, notice of which are to be served on the board and other local bodies affected. The board hears the objections and gives its decision, and from that decision any objector may appeal to the Minister, in terms provided by the Statute. Operation of the Act. At the end of the first three years after the Act came into force, 750 miles of new roads had been completed, and 5500 miles of main roads had been maintained under the new arrangement. In many cases maintenance went considerably further than keeping the roads in the same state and standard of condition as when they were taken over. Advantages of the System. A careful study of the Victorian system cannot fail to convince one that it is a useful piece of legislation and meets most of the objections that any unified system is bound to receive. The outstanding feature of the scheme is its distribution of costs, which are divided between the owners of properties, who are rated, the users of the main roads, who contribute in the way of annual vehicle charges, and the public, who contribute through the State funds. Each of these three classes of people derives benefits in proportion to the amount it contributes. Property owners benefit in the way of increased land values, the users of the roads benefit in the way of saving on tyres and haulage charges, and the public profit by the increased trade which belter means of communication will bring about.

(3) The economical administration of a large extent of road work under the control of.one body. (4) The concentration of the ordinary revenue and energies of the local authority upon its own internal roads. Movement in Canterbury. So far as the good roads movement in Canterbury is concerned, the spreading of the good roads gospel has been almost entirely confined to educational propaganda on the part of the Canterbury Progress League. The league has worked in conjunction with the Good Roads Association which is an older body than the league. By means of conferences with local bodies and addresses given by authorities on the subject throughout the province the residents of town and country have been educated, so to speak, to the necessity of improved roads and the way has been made more easy for the reception and intelligent consideration of concrete proposals. Parliament Approached. As a result of a conference of the Good Roads Association of New Zealand, on October 2, 1919, a set of proposals based on the Victorian system was drafted and adopted. On October 4 these proposals were submitted to members of Parliament. The Prime Minister assured the deputation that he was in full agreement with tlie views expressed. He did not know of anything New Zealand was so much behind in, as compared with other countries, as in road construction. The matter was largely one of £ s. d. There was a limit to the amount they could borrow, and to the taxing capacity [Continued on.Next Page.]

day as well as they have, when we consider that the engine must resist this wrenching, the bearings must absorb these shocks without cramp-,, ing and the bolts and nuts must dure these strains."