MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1450, 15 January 1924, Page 5

MAIN HIGHWAYS.

TWO ROADS IN WAIPA COUNTY PREFERENCE FOR RAGLANHAMILTON LINK. The selection ,of roads within its territory for classification as main highways was dealt with at Monday’s meeting of the Waipa County Council. The Raglan County Council wrote: “Your letter of the 4th inst. was duly considered by this Council yesterday. I am instructed to inform you that this Council cannot agree to contribute to the capital expenditure you propose in laying the WhatawhataHamilton road d,own in bitumen, and is of the opinion that your Council should lay down a decent macadamised road in the first place at its own expense, as we have done in the case of the road fr,om Whatawhata to Raglan. After this has been done this Council will be prepared to consider the question of bitumen sealing.” Cr. Reid said that in conversation with the Mayor of Hamilton the latter had expressed himself as strongly in favour of laying the road down permanently in bitumen. Personally, he (Cr. Reid) said that it now appears Raglan County opposes the method, preferring a continuance of patching. Cr. Livingstone said he was surpristd at Raglan County’s attitude. He would move that the Engineer be instructed to proceed without delay to break up and re-make the road. The other contributing bodies would have to bear their share. Cr. Reid said he had attended the first meeting of the Highways Board for the No. 2 Group. Mr Baker, District Engineer to the Public Works Department, had been elected chairman, and Mr J. P. Bailey and another County chairman had been appointed to the executive. There was a suggestion that the tyre tax would provide sufficient money for the work, but the Waikato group comprised ten Counties. Its proportion of the annual tyre tax would be about £27,000.

In reply to a query, the Chairman said, “Goodness knows how soon a start will be made.” Money would only be available for d, ing a very few chains of roading in each of the ten Counties.

Continuing, Cr. Reid said if a start were to be made with a highway at one end it was probable that Waipa County would be the last to obtain a share, for at present the main Nga-ruawahia-Te Awamutu road is quite the best in the ' province south of Auckland. The next meeting of the Highways Board is to be held on the 17th inst., at Auckland. Cr. Macky expressed the conviction that the establishment of follgates is the only fair way to collect revenue for the construction and upkeep main roads.

Cr. Reid admitted that a wheel tax would be unfair, for some cars were very much more used than others. He was surprised that there was n,o circular letter from the Board before the meeting that day, asking the Council to declare main highways. _ Cr. Macky remarked that the Waikato County Council had had a circular, according to the report of its last meeting.

Cr. Reid said that, judging by the remarks of representatives at the first meeting of the Highways B,oard, the Raglan-Whatawhata-Hamilton road would be the first one in this neighbourhood to be selected for assistance by the Highways Board. Perhaps 50 per cent, of the cost of maintenance w,ould be contributed by the Board. The next most likely road would be the Great South road between Ngaruawahia and Te Awamutu. The Engineer remarked that through traffic would be very largely increased when the Rangiriri Hills portion of that roadway is improved. Cr. Macky again remarked that the only possible way to obtain revenue on a fair basis was to establish tollgates. Then everybody who uses the roads will contribute to the cost of upkeep. Cr. Reid: The Minister for Public Works has recently suggested a tax on benzine. “But,” said the speaker, “I am afraid the taxes will be imposed and we will get 3 no benefits. However, we do not have to declare all our principal roads as main highways under the Act. We should certainly declare some of them—otherwise other portions of the Group will obtain an advantage.

Cr. Macky: We had a tally of traffic taken on some of our roads a few months ago. Where did all the cars come from—what was their registration place? The Engineer remarked that most of the cars traversing the roads when the tally was taken seemed to be what is classed as through traffic. It was suggested that the portion of the Raglan-Hamilton road that passes through Newcastle, Hamilton and Tuhikaramea Ridings should be classed No. 1 in importance, and No. 2 should be the road from Ngaruawahia to the County boundary south of Te Awamutu. This road passes through the Newcastle, Hamilton, Rukuhia, Kaipaki, Rangia,ohia and Kakepuku. RidingA Cr. Alexander considered that roads running at right angles to railway lines are most entitled to preference under the Main Highways Act provisions.

The Chairman: That is quite true. It is the feeling of members of the Highways Board too. The Rangiriris will, I believe, never be scheduled as a main highway until important side roads are done. The .Government may accept sole responsibility itself for the Rangiriri stretch if it likes, but it is pretty certain that the Counties will not contribute.

Cr. Livingsone asked whether other roads were to be listed for declaration as main highways? Cr. Fisher: Cambridge to Te Awamutu.

Cr. Livingstone. I think the Ka-whia-Te Awamutu road has very good claims to consideration. Cr. McGhee: Te Awamutu to Arapuni will have its advocates. •Cr. Reid asked Councillors to consider whether they would sooner accept full responsibility for their important roads or elect to take advantage of the 50 per cent, offered by the Highways Board. Cr. Livingstone then moved that the two roads already referred to be declared main highways. Cr. Peacocke seconded—Carried unanimously.