Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1920. THE ROADING PROBLEM.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1920. THE ROADING PROBLEM.

In replying to a deputation at Auckland regarding roading matters, the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. G. Coates) said the Government had certain proposals concerning main roads and he hoped the Bill to give them 1 effect 1 would have been printed and cir- | ciliated by this time, but pressure on the Crown Law Office had prevented this, and the work could not be undertaken until after the holidays. The executive of the Counties Association, which had considered the proposals, did not agree with them. It was opposed to the prinleiple that certain roads should be Government roads governed by control boards for each district. The members of these boards, would lie appointed by the local bodies, and there would also be a certain number of experienced engineers sitting. The objection was a matter for consideration, the point being whether the scheme would be finally adopted. An engineer would bo appointed by the Public/ Works 'Department, who would specialise in road construction. He would assist the control lioards in some uniform method of construction through out the country. Personally, said Mr Coates, he agreed with'the recommendations of the Commission, but money was the difficulty. It was possible to adopt only such a scheme as would fit in with the. , financial resources of the country. The proposed Bill .to govern main roads construction would bo circulated, and local bodies would be asked to offer criticisms'. He hoped that other ibodies; such as the Automobile Association, for instance, would do the same, and he hoped thereby to reach a scheme which would be acceptable to the .people interested. The great .arterial road would start in the far north come down the centre of the peninsula, and go on south past Auckland, with deviations at Hamilton going east and west. It would follow roughly the route of the Main Trunk line, branching off where necessary—for instance,. to Taranaki—and so on through the island. A similar system would he necessary for the South Island, from Blenheim to Bluff. That, roughly was the scheme which would give most communication with districts at present somewhat isolated. The Victorian system was very much the same, the authority of the county councils being superseded as far as the main roads were . concerned. Ho proposed to inaugurate that scheme only so far as the main roads were concerned. The money for the scheme would be derived from different sources. Ho hoped to build up a, fund of about £500,000 witli which to make a beginning. The engineers hoped, that by this .means it would he possible to undertake the most urgent portions of the main roads. It would probably be necessary to be content with ordinary metal so far as regards the urgent porFrom that it was hoped to proceed to the tar-sealed surface, and in time to undertake the concrete system. The gjrades could hie made 'with that object in view, and as much .as possible done in the desired direction.