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Signposting, Centre Line Marking, &c.—The amount expended by the Board during the year in subsidizing the erection and maintenance of road signs by the automobile associations of New Zealand was £6,153. The marking of centre-lines on paved surfaces and the lettering of standard warning notices on pavements adjacent to railway-crossings and other dangerous localities have been continued. Advances to Local Authorities. —During the year ended 31st March, 1947, the Board, entered into seven agreements with local bodies in regard to advancing to them their shares of the cost of works carried out on main highways. The principal of these advances amounted to £17,967 10s, The total of principal outstanding at 31st March, 1947, in respect to past advances was £24,339 Is, 9d. Plant.* —The facilities provided by the Board to enable local authorities to acquire plant under the hire-purchase system were taken advantage of to a much greater extent than in the preceding year. The purchases for 1946-47 amounted to £45,219 lis. 6d., as against £17,702 for 1945-46. The total value of plant purchased under this system since its inauguration is £431,309 12s. 6d., of which sum only £56,597 18s. 2d. remained outstanding at the 31st March, 1947Operations of . Magnetic Truck and TrcdLers. —During the year the magnetic truck and one trailer-type magnet operated in the North Island, and the other trailer-type magnet operated solely in the South Island. These machines, which- are; utilized for clearing main highways of iron or steel puncture-producing articles cleared 3,765 miles in the North Island and 4,977 miles in the South Island. The weight of material picked up was 13,862 lb. in the North Island and 7,983 lb. in the South Island. The average yield per mile of highway .in the North Island was 3-68 lb. and the South Island 1-604 lb., compared with 4-4 lb. and 0-484 lb. respectively for the previous year. Examination for Foremen and Overseers of Road Construction.—The twentieth examination for Foremen and Overseers of Road Construction was held on 20th November, 1946, when twelve candidates 1 presented themselves for examination. Ten papers on general road construction and maintenance and four papers on tar, bituminous, and concrete road construction were returned. Four candidates were successful in passing paper No. 1 and three passed paper No. 2, No candidate passed the full examination, five secured a partial pass, and two, who had previously secured a partial pass, completed the examination. The Board acknowledges the continued co-operation of the Public Works Department in matters relating to main-highwaysf administration, and records its appreciation of the valuable service rendered by officers of that Department in carrying out the Board's programme. Signed on behalf of the Main Highways Board: F. Langbein, M.1.C.E., Chairman.

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