The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1920. TRAFFIC HIGHWAYS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 73, 20 December 1920, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1920. TRAFFIC HIGHWAYS

« Although it is well established thbfc sound economy here and elsewhere demands such an improvement jn the condition of arterial roads as will permit and encourage the free development of motor transport, it is equally apparent, that a very heavy outlay . will b« incurred in even making a good beginning on these lines. Theso circumstances are not peculiar to New Zealand, but are rather typical of the conditions that exist in most parts of the Empire, as well as in many foreign countries. Even in countries whose main roads are maintained at a much higher standard than has yet been approached in New Zealand, the need is recognised of effecting great and sweeping improvements in order to meet the requirements of a new transportation era, and everywhere the financial aspect of the question presents somewhat formidable difficulties. With so many countries concentrating, as a matter of sound economy 1 and progress, on the im-' provement of traffic highways, it is, of course: essential that our own Government should keep in constant and effective touch with what is being accomplished in this direction in other parts of the world. The international interest of roading policy and practice and the'advantages that will accruc to all concerned from an interchange of reports and information were emphasised at'a meeting of the Roads and Transport Section of the Imperial Motor Transport Conference which was held recent]y_ in London. The conference was widely representative of' the overseas Empire, being attended by, official 'representatives of nearly all the Dominions (New Zealand amongst the' number) and many dependencies. The' construction and upkeep' of good arterial roads was discussed in its full scope as an Imperial problem, and clear promineace was given to the fact that practically all over the Empire there is a vast amount of leeway ;to he made up in .providing highways on which the full possibilities of motor transport will be realised. It is not without interest that reports before the conference credited Malaysia with possessing tho "best roads in the world," and stated that some of the worst (excluding the neighbourhood of cities and towns) wero to be found in Canada. While there was some diversity of opinion over details, it was \ generally, agreed that central control, with the cooperation of well-trained surveyors and engineers, were indispensablo to tho provision of such roads as the age demands. Tha conference Epitomised its policy recommendations in the following resolutions:—

That the development apd maintenance of mhin and connecting roads, so vital to economic transportation in this nountry (Britain) nnd those overseas, should receive the fullest support, encouragement, and supervision from tile Government in each', country, and, as regards main and main connecting i-oiids, bo regarded an-1 dealt with as a national and not a local matter. That tho proceeds of taxation of selfpropelled vehicles should . bo devoted wholly to roads. That ii: is essential that all main and connecting roads be constructed to bear mechanical transport. That the science_ of road construction and maintenance is a matter of international interest! and that steps should be taken, to encourage the intcrclianjie of reports and information both at Homo and with oversea countries. The last pronouncement is of particular interest, and especially deserves attention in this country. Under any enterprising policy of arterial road improvement a great deal of money will nccessavily be spent, and it is, of course, indispensable that every effort should be made to collect tho best and most reliable data on which to proceed. ■New Zealand is the better'placed to do this- sincc any scheme of highway improvement it may adopt in this immediate future will of necessity embody less ambitious standards than some more denselypopulated countries are adopting. \Ve have much to learn, not only from following detail methods and engineering practice as they arc worked out under varying conditions in many countries, but from observing the experience of the United Kingdom and other countries in which motor transport has already developed on an enormous scale. The improvement of arterial roads—a term which must 1/e taken to cover all roads which carry through; as distinct from local, traffic—is evidently an enterprise which calls for foresight and for due attention to the aids' to foresight offered in the experience of countries whoso transport organisation is meantime 1 on a vastly bigger scale than our own. A great deal is, of_ course, to bo learned from. American progress in roadiraprovemont as well as from tlio systematic study of corresponding activities in other parts of the Empire. It is already manifest that here and elsewhere fast motor vehicles travelling oyer good roads are destined to provide a transport service rivalling, supplementing, and in some important respects definitely superseding that now provided, where they exist, by railways. No doubt one important balancing item to bo set against the cost of a. comprehensive policy of road-improvement will be a substantial saving in expenditure on railway construction. The discussions of the Imperial Motor Transport Conference, as they are reported, seem to liavo thrown little light on the knotty problem of finance. It was observed, however, that returnß from taxation, of

motor _ vehicles (which is fairly heavy in Great Britain) represented only a very small part of the total funds required for roadimprovpment in that country. No doubt much the same will hold good in New Zealand. The Royal Commission which recently reported 011 the improvement of a section of 120 miles of main road in the Auckland' provincial district stated that tho annual cost of the work (interest, sinking fund, and maintenance) would bo about £45,000. It mentioned also that the proceeds of a 10 per cent, tax on the vajue of the motor tyres imported last year would amount to £86,000. Obviously such a tax or even a much heavier impost would go but a little way towards meeting the cost of improving some thousands of miles of arterial roads throughout the Dominion. Motor vehicles, however, certainly ought to be taxed in connection with a national policy of road-improvement, since their owners would benefit, not only in extended facilities for using their vehicles, but in respect of reduced upkeep and working expenses. The Government is to be commended on its decision to circulate the Main Roads Bill early in the new year. While it is clear that under a sound policy provision must be made for the establishment and enforcement, under national authority, of sound standards of road construction and maintenance, there is nn doubt in other respects wido. scope for detail adjustment which will be facilitated by discussion.