HIGHWAY AFFAIRS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17570, 22 June 1925, Page 7

HIGHWAY AFFAIRS.

MOTORISTS AND BOARD. Mr M. H. Wynyard, the motorists’ representative on the Main Highways Board, discussed matters in connection with the Main Highways Act with the executive of the South Island Motor Union on Saturday night. Mr Wynyard said that the board had not mandatory powers, owing largely to the opposition raised by the local bodies on its inception, but, at the same time, it had certain powers. It held the purse strings as far as subsidies were concerned, and there was no doubt thd't when an improvement in the roads of those counties taking advantage of the Highways Act was seen other districts which were not taking full benefits from the Act, and whose roads were consequently in a poor state, would forced by public opinion to fall into line with the others. It was an interesting fact that the mileage of metalled roads in New Zealand was greater in proportion to population than in the United States, but in the matter of maintenance New Zealand was a long way behind. However, the board was endeavouring to get this matter in a much better position than at present. The services of the board's engineer were at all times available to assist ■local bodies by giving them advice as to the construction and maintenance of roads. The engineer was a man of considerable experience, and his services | would be charged for, but all the local bodies had to do was to apply for them, and he would enable the local bodies to save a lot of money in the way of general expenditure. Special free tests of stone and bitumen were also made by the board's officers, so that only the best class of material might be used. The board proposed to . issue a diploma or certificate to foremen, who would oversee higher class road construction work, such as in connection with concrete roads, etc. It | was not intended that the holders of 1 such certificates should be engineers, ; but that they should be better than the ( usual type of foremen. The board had 1 power to supply plant to local bodies on the hire purchase system, and a number of local bodies were taking advantage of that provision, and would thus have the plant as their own property in about four years’ time. Mr Wynyard quoted figures to show how apathetic South Island local bodies were in the matter of making applications for assistance from the Main Highways Board. The board had the power to carry out work in a countv that was not being done by the local \ body, charging that body for it. The board did pot desire to use this power, however, until it was absolutely necessary. If any local body was not carrying out its obligations, a report had only to be sent to the board and the matter would he looked into. With the 50 per cent subsidy which the board expected shortly to be able to give for maintenance purposes and amounts receivable by way of heavy traffic licenses he thought that local bodies would be in a. position to improve most of their roads out of all recognition. He said that he would like to see experiments carried out on a local road, stretches of which could be laid down in hot mix, others being of bituminous penetration tar sealing, and other parts again being gravelled, the work being carried out by the county engineer in conjunction with the board’s officials. By this means much valuable information would be secured in the matter of road construction and maintenance. He considered that the cost of putting down a tar-sealed road would be £BOO a mile, bituminous penetration £2500. and bituminous concrete (hot mix) £4OOO, the last-mentioned system being similar to that used on the'Hutt Road, "Wellington. To maintain a tar-sealed road would cost about £IOO to £l2O a year. He thought that for a start the construction of tar-sealed roads would be best in the South Island, especially as the cost was so much lower than that of the other systems. Mr 11. C. Harley said that it was theneluty to shake up the local bodies of the South Island to make them claim their share of subsidies. Mr Wynyard remarked that if they did not there was a likelihood that it would be taken away from them altogether. So far as he was concerned, he was careful that the South Island should get its due. He had given an undertaking that it should be done, and it would.