TOUR OF HIGHWAYS

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1934, Page 10

TOUR OF HIGHWAYS

BOARD’S TARANAKI VISIT IMPROVEMENT OF THE ROADS REQUESTS FROM LOCAL BODIES. Continuing their tour of the province yesterday, members of the Main Highways visited Inglewood, Opunake, Manaia, Kaponga, Eltham and Stratford.. The personnel of the touring party is Messrs. C. J. McKenzie (chairman), J. Wood and E. J. Greensniith (Government members), C. J. Talbot and W. Morrison (county representatives), M. H. Wynyard (motorists’ representative), G. W. Albertson (highways engineer) and G. W- Knapp (secretary). Messrs. P. Keller (Public Works engineer for the Taranaki district) and Irwin, Public Works Department, Stratford, are accompanying the board, RELIEF FOR DAIRYMEN. INGLEWOOD DEPUTATION. ' The board met the members of the Inglewood County Council and Borough Council at the council chambers at Inglewood. On the way to Inglewood from New Plymouth the board stopped to inspect the proposed chain bridge devia'tion, but no decision was reached. i Mr. R. Stuart, chairman of the Inglewood County Council, said Inglewood was a dairying district and he would like to see relief to the farmers in the matter of heavy traffic licenses. Mr. McKenzie replied that the board could not depart from the law but had to administer it. Mr. Morrison said the matter had been discussed wiin the Clifton County Council. The report of his remarks wis rather confusing, as he did not say that the agitation should be directed towards having the law altered but that if the farmers wanted the law altered there was a way of doing it. The matter had been discussed thoroughly by the Counties’ Association on a number of occasions and had always been opposed. If farmers were exempt it would finally mean cutting out the heavy traffic license altogether, and that wduld mean that rates would have to be put up, so it would be seen it was best to make no exemptions. He felt sure it would be a retrograde step to have the law amended. Mr. Wynyard arid Mr. Talbot supported Mr. Morrison’s remarks. Mr. Stuart stated thrit he thought the council should be loyal to the Counties Association but he still thought the farmers should be assisted in some way. Mr. Stuart asked if it would be possible for the Inglewood county to bo granted an extension of highways, to which Mr. McKenzie replied that Inglewood had been granted the Bristol-Ever-ett Road, a distance of three miles 70 chains. Another matter discussed was that of royalty on metal from rivers and gravel from pits. In many cases, said Mr, Stuart, pits on farms had been regarded ‘by the farmer as an asset. In most cases the Inglewood county was paying 6d a yard royalty for metal from rivers and 4d for material from pits. Mr. McKenzie said that as regards pits it might be- cheaper to purchase the land; Mr. Stuart said he thought the council would have to pay dearly for the landMr. Morrison drew attention to the paintings of wings of bridges and painting of signs on the surface of tar-seal where there were railway crossings. The painting of signs on the road would catch the eye of the motorist much more than sign posts .on the side of the road. Mr. Morrison also pointed out that maintenance had been increased from £2 to £1 to £3 to £1;/J Construction work had been increased from £lBO,OOO last year to £510,000 for this year. .. i Mr. F. Spurdie in' the absence of .the Mayor, Mr. J. Gibbs, said the borough had no requests to make, but he congratulated the board on its work. WIDTH OF OURI BRIDGE. OPUNAKE COUNTY REQUESTS. On the way to Opunake a detour was made to inspect the lower Wairau Road to Oakura beach. Mr. McKenzie indicated that this matter would be considered when it came through the district highways council. The suggested Oakura deviation would have to be surveyed before the matter could be settled. At Opunake the chairman of the Egmont County Council, Mr. W. . C. Green, said one request was in connection with the width of Ouri bridge, and the other in regard to heavy traffic fees. “But I notice from what you said to the Clifton people you did not give a favourable reply as far as I am concerned, and we may not press the matter very much,” said Mr. Green. The chairman pointed out that in the past the county had constructed its bridges of a width of 16 and 18 feet, and now the Highways Board was requiring from 20 to 24 feet. The council felt 18 feet was sufficient for the Ouri bridge. Mr. Mclvor said the main road surface was 16 feet wide north of Opunake and 14 feet south of Opunake. He could not see there was going to be any great increase in traffic density that would necessitate a wider bridge than the others in the district. Two other bridges 18 feet wide had been approved by the board in the past. Mr. McKenzie: We have to make a start in these things sometime. The board considers it' better to have extra Width on the bridges. Mr. Green said that the county had to find the money and to spend money on wider bridges would tie up the finances and the council would have to go to the Highways Board and ask it to find all the money for the renewal of the other bridges. Mr. Green considered the Local Government Loans Board would not approve of loans for expenditure in making wide roads' and bridges. Mr. Morrison pointed out that the cost of a 20-foot bridge was little more than one of 18 feet. “We have sufficient experience to say what a bridge should be, and we would not stick at an extra £25,” said Mr. McKenzie. Mr. Green said the county approved of 20-foot bridges where necessary. If the Highways Board insisted on a 20-foot bridge he thought it would be better for it to design the bridge itself. Mr. McKenzie indicated .that the board would agree to this suggestion and would talk the matter over. WANTS OF WAIMATE WEST. AUROA ROAD AS A HIGHWAY. The Waimate West County Council sought to have Auroa Road constituted a secondary highway, as it carried much traffic. The clerk quoted a traffic tally showing 690 cars, 163 two-ton motor vehicles and 204 over two tons, besides 382 horsedrawn vehicles and other kinds of traffic within a period of a week. The manner in which Waimate West County Council had raised big loans and was paying interest for the construction of good roads was mentioned to the board by the chairman, Mr. Long. He said there were no tolls, but when the surrounding counties gave up toll gates they received com-

pensation for loss of revenue. The county thought it might have received some sort of compensation because of its progressiveness. It was 21 years since Waimate West had put down tarred roads. "

Mr. Long added that he hoped the county would receive some compensation , in widening roads that they could not afford to deal with to bring the roads up to the required standard. Mr. McKenzie: You will get the same help, a £3 for £1 subsidy. We will try to meet you in the widening of roads, and I suggest you again apply for Auroa Road as a highway. FRASER ROAD AS HIGHWAY. BAD CORNERS ON ELTHAM ROAD. The Eltham County Council chairman, Mr. A. L. Campbell, said there were only a few small matters to bring forward. He asked if Fraser and Rotokare Roads had been declared highways and was informed by Mr. McKenzie that this had been decided, the length of road being five miles 50 chains. Mr. Barker asked for the inclusion of Auroa Road as a highway. Mr. McKenzie said there were several bends on Eltham Road that were difficult and had the camber the wrong way. These would be dangerous in. wet weather and he suggested perhaps these could be improved. Mr. Campbell said it was mainly a matter of finance. A brief stay was made at Kaponga, where the chairman of the town board, Mr. A. R. Bates, and Mr. E. L. Abbott welcomed the board, but made no requests. ONLY ONE STRATFORD REQUEST. The board arrived at Stratford in the late afternoon, and was met at the borough chambers by the Mayor, Mr. J. W. McMillan, the town clerk, Mr. P. Skoglund (borough council) and Messrs. T. R. Anderson, G. H. Were, J. W. Spence and C. Campbell (Stratford County Council). Mr. McMillan said the borough council had nothing to bring before the board. The only request made was in connection with the payment of royalties on metal pits. Mr. McKenzie mentioned that the board had recently declared four and ahalf mites of Cheal Road a highway; that would probably be welcomed by the county council. The council was very pleased indeed that the board had been able to do so, said Mr. Anderson.