MARTON NOTES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17515, 7 March 1919, Page 6

MARTON NOTES.

(From our Travelling Reporter.) MARTON, Mar. 6. The past few days have been very busy ones for local people, a big orowS of visitors having been in town for the »Show. To-day the town is back to normal, most of the visitors having gone home..

A conference of representatives of local bodies will be held at Wood-ville on the 26th inst. to discuss the question of concrete roads. Messrs Mair (engineer) and Thorns (overseer) will represent the Rangitikei County Council at the conference.

The Hon. W. D.. S. McDonald, Minister for Agriculture, who was a visitor to the Marton Show, departed for Wellington to-day. During his stay he was the guest of Mr E. Newman, M.P., at "Dunsinane."

A further welcome contribution towards their new Show ground has been received by the Marton District A. and P. Association from Messrs J. McFarland and Son, who donated the prizemoney they won at Wednesday's Show, where they were awarded four first and two second prizes, in addition to two championships. Lifa-saving competitions were held in the Municipal Baths yesterday, when teams entered for the Royal Humane life-Saving Society's school shield were put through the annual competition^, with the following results: First Method—Geo. McDonald, 49 2-5 sees; Wilfrid Woodham, 51 sees. Second Method —John Yardley 47 1-5 sees; Frank Wood, 1 mm 40 sees. Third Method — Wilfrid Woodham, 54 sees; Geo. McDonald Imm 9 2-5 sees. Fourth Method—John Yardley, 33 1-5 sees; Frank Wood, 40 1-5 sees.

Referring to concrete roads as to their suitability for country roads, the County Engineer (Mr Hair) states that practically no data is available relating to this, beyond that it will stand heavy and iron-shod traffic without perceptible wear. Although a 6-inch pevement would be sufficient for a country road, other disabilities of transportation, etc., of materials, would increase the cost per unit. Further data respecting country concrete roads can only be obtained by actual experiment, and in view of the present cost and other difficulties of maintenance, and the prospect of an early demand for better roads j some steps should be taken to experiment under local conditions. The Auckland City Council have mtv over thirty thousand square yafds of bare concrete pavement, and have thoroughly demonstrated its suitability to New Zealand conditions, especially where subjected to extremely heavy traffic of both motors and iron-shod vehicles.