HIGHWAY CONTROL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20670, 8 March 1937, Page 5

HIGHWAY CONTROL

COUNCIL AS AGENT FOR BOARD COUNTY ROADS ISOLATED A suggestion that the Mackenzie County Council should be appointed an agent for the Main Highways Board to carry out maintenance work on the State highway from Cave to Pukaki was made by the chairman of the Council (Mr C. J. Talbot) to members of the Board when they visited Fairlie on Saturday. The chief reason for making the request, Mr Talbot said, was on account of the group of county roads at Tekapo being isolated and separated by a thirty-mile stretch of State highway on either side from the next group of roads. The State highway was the only connection between the roads and on it no work could be undertaken.

In the course of his reply to other points raised by the Council. Mr A. J. Baker, the deputy chairman of the ! Board, stated that the control of | State highways was a matter of national policy, and the State, in the interests of the country, had decided that the Highways Board should supervise its highways in order that the work should be of the same standard

throughout. The representations would, however, be carefully considered by the Board on its return to Wellington. Continuing, Mr Baker emphasised the enormous growth of traffic both in volume and destructiveness, and quoted registrations in 1925 as being 120,000; in 1935. 214,000; in 1936, 240,000 an increase of 121 per cent on the previous year. So far this year the registrations had be?h 250,000 with the total still growing. He also instanced the growth in the speeds and power of cars, which was so rapidly increasing the wear on the highways system. It was of the utmost importance that the greatest efficiency should be obtained in the use of plant and in management, and that applied equally to the back-country roads and to the road* nearer the centres. Mr Peter Kidd brought forward aq additional point to the effect that it might be advisable for the Board to consider supplying local bodies with loan money for bridges and so avoid the difficulties which beset them at present in their endeavours to raise loans. Another point brought forward in connection with State highways was the matter of the Council continuing the work of roadside tree-planting. The reconstruction of the highway beyond Pukaki was also brought forward.