ROAD MAINTENANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16802, 3 August 1922, Page 8

ROAD MAINTENANCE.

LOCAL BODIES’ REQUEST, HEAVY TRAFFIC ON AKAROA ROAD.

Representatives of the Springs. Hals_ well and Paparoa County Councils waited on the Minister of Public Works this morning and pressed their claim for the provision of a railway siding at Birdling’s Flat to enable shingle to be transported for the upkeep of roads. Mr T. O. Morgan, representing the "Paparoa Council, said that at the commencement of the war traffic went by rail to Little River and thence to Akaroa. Then came railway cuts, which brought coaches and ’buses, which previously connected with Akaroa and Little River. But these now took up the running from Christchurch to Akaroa. That traffic had since grown considerably, and now produce was being carried by two large motor lorries running constantly. At Birdling’s Flat there was a great bank 'of small shingle, and it had been found that when, the road was top-dressea with this it stood the 1 test and kept the road in better repair than anything that had yet been tried. The three counties concerned had bought twentyfive acres of land with the shingle on it at Birdling’s Flat. The deputation asked that the Department would put. £SOO on the Estimates for a siding at this place. Mr R. Macartney impressed on the Minister the very great usefulness of the shingle. The Wairewa County Council, he said, was the first to experiment with the shingle. It was small and needed no crushing. Where they had used one yard in the past they wanted to use 100 in the future. The Government pit, he said, provided shingle with a lot of sand in it. The day would come in all probability when every main road in Canterbury in easy access by rail would be supplied with shingle from the Birdling’s Flat pit. Mr J. M’Kenzie. clerk of the Halswell County Council, said that the experiment with the shingle would be valuable for the Public Works Department officers to watch. Mr Coates said that if the shingle was going to be cheaper and stood up to the work it was the kind to use. It would he a somewhat uqusual thing for the Public Works Department to contribute in the way suggested, although they had in one or two instances helped in opening up quarries. Mr Morgan said that, the Department would benefit from the siding. Air Coates : “ I don't think that it pays the Railway Department haulage. There is a special cut rate for local bodies.”