ARTERIAL ROADS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 262, 1 August 1919, Page 8

ARTERIAL ROADS

PAItT OP A COUNTRY'S DEFENCES. u vMterdav's conference of representaoat bodies of th, Wellington provincial district the duel point debnted was the method proposed u> l'« adopted for meeting the enormous cost of Nen ug arterial roads in any *or , of order now that they iu;e being subject to Mich heavy motor vehicle tratte. ine Mayor (Mr. J. P. proposed to nlaee tho Imrden on the various local bodies concerned, but, on an ameudnient "r Mr I' T. iloore's the wnterence tavoured throwing the financial burden on to the as arterial roads were nalion.il highways. In supporting the amendinenl, Mr. »unbnr S'.oaue argued tint the making- and maintenance or urterial roads should be a national concern from a defence point of view, me M-nr was over and peace had been gained, but he did not believe that any thinking man in Stailond believed I hat it was a secure peace, and that was why no did not wish to see things as they were when war broke out in 19H. lo? instance, had the mini, rowis to Trentlw " and Featherslon been well-nrdercil lugnwave, lie was sure the Defence iJeparime'nt would have been saved many tnoiieamle of pounds. In Vrance where Jw had been privileged to serve, tho gooii roads had not only been of nnnicasurable benefit and value to France, but to hnw land as well. There the romrf *«J blocked with stones, as they were blockcii with wood here. He remembered ono siicii road ten miles long and as btiaigm as an arrow, which, took two lines ot motor traffic-one going ouo way and ontthe othei-\yitli less than a foot of swu, hevwen them. Yet on that road track) s could handle Hie licaviest of guns wii.nout affecting the road' in the leas .. Aiuriiu loads slioiild. Di> made a nilional concern if it was-only from a d?lenc« point of view.