EXPOSED WOOD-BLOCKS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 283, 26 August 1919, Page 4

EXPOSED WOOD-BLOCKS

DETERIORATION SETTING IN. Several members of the City Council ami other observant citizens have had occasion to remark during the present year on the sad state ol' neglect evident in Wellington's wood-blocked streets. At one time these main streets presented t a c.eun. srnoo Ji suriacc of sanded tar, which torw'ed an cmcacious protection to the wood-blocks below, but for some years past the tarring of the blocks lias not been done systematically or thoroughly, and as the result wholesale deterioration luvs set iu, and in many parts it has been found necessary to put down new blocks altogether, owing to sections of them having become rotten. Now there is more spac9 occupied by bare than tarred blocks, and as the result of the unovenness of surface created, the water in wet weather does not run away freely, but form a series of little lakes, allowing every opportunity for the greatest and most costly mischief to be done. "When tile matter was brought before the notice of the Mayor yesterday, .Mr. Luke said that last summer was a particularly bad one as far as wc-ather was concerned, and as tar would not stick to wet blocks there were not many weeks of fine weather available for '.he work. Another reason for the neglect—which he admitted—was the shortage of tar in Wellington. He realised that the matter was an important, one, and during tho approaching summer he would see that extra large gangs of men were put on to the work, so that the road surfaces would not suffer any inoro than could bo helped.