The Dominion. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1920. THE MAIN ROADS PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 17, 15 October 1920, Page 6

The Dominion. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1920. THE MAIN ROADS PROBLEM

Few things are more urgently required in this country than _ a sound system of building and_maintaining main roads. The rapid and ever-increasing development of motor traffic has already made it abundantly clear than unless the condition of these national highways is to he allowed to go from bad to worse, their upkeep must be accepted as a national responsibility. At present the care of main roads is relegated to local authorities, which, as a rule, are unprovided with the revenue, staff, and equipment essential to the efficient performance of the work entailed. Tho subsidy paid by the State on local revenues hardly affects the position, since it is comparatively small in amount, and is in no way proportioned to the enterprise and_ initiative shown by local authorities in providing transport facilities. Delay in Healing with the main roads problem has allow* cd it to attain somewhat formidable shape and magnitude, and it is so much tho more necessary that a solution should bo found without further loss of time. A very large proportion of the traffic on arterial nignways now consists of_ motor vehicles which cover long distances, and subject road surfaces to heavy wear and tear—consists,_ that is to say, of through traffic which brings

no rovenue to many of the local bodies which are saddled with the duty of road maintenance, but adds enormously to its coat. The good roads that are urgently required throughout the Dominion obviously will never be obtained until this anomalous state of affairs is rectified. A new policy is required, not only in order that many local bodies may be relieved of unfair burdens and an impossible task, but in order tlmt full scope may be given for tho unimpeded development of motoitransport, which manifestly is in tho interests of national economy. The_ Government has shown itself inclined, to deal in a progressive spirit with the problem of arterial roads, as with other aspects of development work, and definite proposals on tho subject will no doubt be looked for in the Public Works Statement which the Minister expects to submit to Parliament at the end of next week.

Meantime, it is of interest to noto what is being done on these lines in other countries. In New South Wales, for instance, where conditions bearing l on the control, financing, construction, and maintenance of main roads largely run parallel to those at present existing in New Zealand, proposals are afoot- for the establishment of a Main' Koads Board to exercise comprehensive control over the construction anc! maintenance of arterial roads throughout the State. Legislation effecting the necessary changes in policy and method is about to be submitted to tho State Parliament, and the proposals in their leading details were recently outlined by the Minister for Local Government (Me. T. D. Mutch* to a conference of local bodies. As the outset, the Minister explained that after examining the constitution of Stale and national road boards in different parts of the world, he had come to the conclusion that the smaller tho board was the better and more efficient it would be. Ho had decided that the Main Roads Board should consist of two paid official members, and the Minister foj' Local Government, who would be a member ex officio. One t-ho official member;' would be an engineer, who would design and build roads and bridges, and the other an administrator who knew how to buy material and who could handle' mon. As to finance, the Minister explained in general' terms r-hat .local bodies would be asked to contribute to tho main roads fund. It was proposed, in addition, that tho funa should be augmented by a proportion, and eventually by the whole, of the motor tax, and also by the proceeds of a wncel tax, to be imposed on all vehicles. Finally, the Government would be asked to make some grant, or loan, or subsidy to the board. He proposed to give councils tho opportunity, where they had the stiff and the plant, to do the work themselves if'thev wanted to, but' if they did not, tho board would have power to do it. These, in essentials, are the changes that are required ip this country to put the construction and maintenance of main roa_ds on a sound footing. Tho creation of a competent con-, trolling board would substitute efficient concentration for the wasteful distribution of effort now in eviUnder this system road construction and maintenance throughout the Dominion would be carrie'd out in accordance with the best expert advice. _ Haphazard methods would be abolished. Full use would be made of up-to-date modern plant which would be provided in adequate quantity at convenient centres so as to be, available for use on all main roads.-- Economy would be achieved not only in the prosecution of road works, but in systematically improving roads to the' point at which they would best and most economically cope with traffic demands. In_ modern road-making practice various methods of paving and surfacing have been evolved— concrete, aspliali, tarred macadam, oil-sprayed,, and other types of roads all have their special features and advantages. Under a central authority the utilisation of the different classes of road-surfacing would be systematised in a fashion at present quite impossible, and great economies and benefits of course would _ result. Some aspects of the financial provision required may in themselves call for careful consideration, but tho whole of the revenue derived from the taxation it is proposed to impose on motoi vehicles undoubtedly ought to be applied to the maintenance and improvement of main roads. The urgency of the whole question is measured by the bad conditions into which many of the main roads have fallen,_ and the uttwly inadequate facilities afforded as a consequence for the development of motor transport. An earnest attempt certainly ought to be made in the very near future to provide a remedy for these unsatisfactory conditions.