MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18414, 22 June 1925, Page 4

MAIN HIGHWAYS.

MR WYNYARD'S ADDRESS.

Mr M. 11. Wynyard, motorists-' representative on the Main Highways Board, on Saturday night met the executive of the South Island Motor Union and discussed with them matters in connexion with the Main Highways Act. Mr Wynyard said that when the Board was constituted it was not given mandatory powers, owing to a considerable extent to the opposition raised by the local bodies. At the same time the Board had certain powers. It held the purse strings so far as subsidies were concerned, and there was no doubt that when a noticeable improvement in the roads in those counties taking advantage of the Highways Act was seen public opinion would force those counties which were not taking advantage of tho benefits of the Act- and whose roads were in consequence in a poor state, to fall into lino with the others. It was an interesting fact that tho mileage of metalled roads in New Zealand was greater in proportion to population than in the U.S.A., 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 Board's engineer was a. man of considerable experience both in the Dominion and outside of it. His services were at all times available to assist local bodies by giving them advice as to the construction and maintenance of roads. The engineer's services woulu be charged for, and all the loeal bodies had to do to get them was to mako application for them. His advice enabled local bodies to save a lot of, money in the way of expenditure, and was thus the means of effecting an economic gain to the Dominion as a whole. He had recently mado an inspection of the roads of the Wairowa County and would shortly present his report thereon to tho county concerned. Special free tests of stone and bitumen wore 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 to oversee higher class road construction work, such as in connexion with concrcto roads, etc. It was not intended, that tho holders of such certificates should be engineers, but that they should bo better than the usual type of foremen. Tho Board had power to supply plant to local bodies on the hire purchase system, and _ a number of locai bodies were taking advantage of that provision, and would thus have tho plant as their own property in about four years' time. Mr Wvnyard 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 county that was not, being done by the local body, charging that body for it. Tho Board did not dosiro to use this power, however, until it was absolutely ncccssarv. If any local body was not carrying" "out its obligations a report had only to be sent to the Board and tho matter would bo looked into. With tho 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 lie thought that local bodies would be in a position to improvo most of their roads out of all recognition. He -Would like to see experiments carried,-out on a loeal road, stretches of which could be laid down in hot mix, others being of bituminous penetration, tar sealing and other parts again being gravelled, tho work being carried out by the county engineer in conjunction with the Board's officials. By this means much valuable information would bo socuvcd iu tho matter, of road construction and maintenance. 110 considered that the cost of putting down a tar-sealed road would bo £B(X> a mile, bituminous penetration £2300, and bituminous concrete (hot mix) £4OOO, the last-mentioned system being simitar to that used on the Hutfc road, "Wellington. To maintain a, tarsealed road would cost about £IOO to £l2O a yoar. Ho thought that for a start the construction of tar-sealed roads would bo best in the South Island, especially as the cost was so much lower than that of tho other systems. Mr 11. C. Harley: Our duty is to shake up tho local bodies in the South Island to make them claim their share. Mr Wynyard; If they do not there is a Chance that it will bo taken away from them. So far as I am concerned, I am very careful that tho South Island will get its due. I Itavo given an undertaking that it will be done, and it will. In answer to a question asked by Mr p. R. Harman, Mr Wynyard said that the Board was finding £7OO out of the £llOO to put the Hapukn bridge iu order.

BOARD'S RECENT MEETING. v

CANTERBURY AND WEST COAST ITEMS. Mr J. D. Bruce, one of tho members of the Main Highways Board, told a representative of Press" on Saturday that many items of importance to Canterbury and the West Coast •wero dealt with at last week's meeting of tho Board. Tho report made regarding the Clarence bridge was that fair progress is being made, but some delay lias occurred due to the recent flood. The approach banks and protective work to the last Grota bridge have been completed. On the "VVaipara to Kaikoura (via Culverden) road, two 40ft trusses have been placed in position on the Wandlo river bridge; a contract has been let for tho approach banks, and a culvert has been constructed on the approach to the Conway bridge. Regarding tho Kaikoura road, owing to the damage done by heavy traffic it is proposed to stop the road to such traffic, or action taken in respect of lighter loads being carried. It has been docided to go on with the work at the Hapuka bridge, the approaches to which are to be completed. Tho sum of £7OO has been voted for tho Ashlev-Kaiapoi road diversion. The total cost is between £llOO and £I2OO. The Ashburton and Waipara aro to receive financial assistance for* the purchase of road-making plant. "Among a number of other forward steps," Mr Bruco saicL, "the Board lias recently set up an institution by which road foremen may receive an adequate training and have an opportunity to pass examinations for competency aild efficiency. At present there are twentyfive members, and it is our hope that eventually wo may have trained road foremen at command who will able to oversee the work of road building." Tho "Waitati section of the DunedinChristchurch highway has been taken over by. the Main Highways Board as a Government road. Fifty men are employed, and 120 chains of the heaviest portion, near Waitati, is ready for scarifying, and pipes for culverts have been distributed whera required. Mr Bruce said that several applications for additional roads to be de-

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clared main highways had been considered by tho Board, but in view of the liabilities already entered into, chiefly in regard to maintenance, only one or two of the applications were granted. Considerable progress has heea made with the Karamea bridge on the West-port-Karamea road. The Waitea road bridge has been completed, and the approaches are being built. The temporary structure of the Inangaliua road bridge is practically completed, and a start will be made shortly with the permanent bridge. Guide piles for the cylindrical piers have been driven.

Mr A. E. Jul!, Counties' representative on the Board, who has lately returned to, New Zealand after a America and England, submitted to the Board a report on highway matters abroad. Mr Jull's report is of particular interest, aa it goes into details of tho financial side of highway construction and maintcnnace, whereas other reports submitted to the Board h'avo dealt with, this matter niainly from an cncincerina point of view.