UPKEEP OF STREETS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 926, 20 September 1910, Page 4

UPKEEP OF STREETS.

AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON. 'By Telecr*ph.—Bpeclnl Correspondent! Auckland, September 19. .The Auckland streets and roads are superlatively bad and every visitor wonders .why Auckland stands.it;- Some'com- !;■' parisons between- Auckland : : and Welling: ; ; - ton were instituted, by, a press contributor;: . who 'writes:—"lt.was:"recently..suggested ;-' that a loan, of .£250,000 .be'.obtained -'..". ' tho.'. City ; Council..to properly:; pave'. the ■ . principal- streets,. ;the suggested i : p being . hardwood': blocking ■ and > the;. neu-) : ohatel.asphalt. ' be;,pf- : interest-'to'::': compare ytheir^.^respective'.'-.'co'sts.'.•'.; The;' asphalt in. Queen' Street'cost 225.'. Gd:." per .-.-, square yard to lay, and its upkeep costs' -; 9d. per -'square.' yard: per- annum. I The ';'. cost. of-..w00d-blocking.-in rWellington: is:.', . somewhat"under 16s; per"square yard;;and ; the cost.of upkeep'is'3d;'per square yard, ..'■■ per/annum.; Take'the cost,of,wood-block.'-: •' ing7at'.'l6s; "and it:will be:'seen'that the '}■'■■'■ suggested - loan , of" ,^250,000;: .would';-'- lay.-.' ■' '■- 312,000-yards.'of .wood-blocking.or: 222,000. •', . yards: of'.asphalt, ..and', that- the",;' annual.". upkeep''of ,222,000 -square; yards ;,01-,' as- '•■'.' phalt would, be -while for 312,000:; v square yards. of wood-blocking'it, would >, .be'only ; 'iß39oo. : : v If> annual ; ;.upkeep;;- : per:"square yard/'of. .the; busiest of.;our ,'.: ; :macadamised, streets. comparedSwith ;, ■ these ;flgures; it would;ho: doubt-:explain:., why'such enormous sums are spent yearly ,;' on the 'upkeep <ot. our streets,.;and .why' r ■■• a Wellington city Councillor.^Teoeritly'■:'"'.:. . stated . that, "his :_■ council' was,;:-riot ■.: fich'...:, enouijii to; afford .macadamised-.streets.":; ,:,.,