The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, APRIL 13th, 1922. THE MAIN ROADS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 April 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, APRIL 13th, 1922. THE MAIN ROADS.

Wiiii.k the County Council on Tuesday resolved on a very sensible course of action in regard to the request of the Resident, Engineer in reference to the action of an offendo r in plying on the Ross-Hokitika road with excessive loading, under a peculiar set of circum.

stances, the local body might well have gone further and represented to the Public Works Department the need for maintaining main roads and bridges in a condition tit to carry the norma] traffic of the district. In the case under notice the offence was committed in exceptional circumstances, one point being that the railway service does not serve the south sufficiently enough to meet local requirements. For that reason there is a necessity for motor lorry traffic on the road, and as it is a main road serving a large and important centre, it seems to b<? the para, mount duty of the authority responsible for the upkeep of the road to maintain it in a condition equal to the traffic to and from the district. The fact that loaded motor lorries are prohibited from crossing the bridges along the route, testifies that the road is not equal to requirements. Below, we give the substance of a House of Lords decision, from which it will be seen that, there is the onus on those in charge of main roads to see that they are maintained equal to the requirements of the traffic, if such in itself is reasonable. The change in the mode of conducting ordinary traffic from horse-drawn to mechanically-propelled vehicles is readable as a modern development, and over the distance referred to, and particularly with the infrequent railway service. IL stands, to reason more and more traffic must he tbiown oil the main road. It has been demonstrated tli-i "!,,t(.r hrrry traffic as a connecting link with South West-land trade is essential for the economical development of the disti ict, and such being the esse the local body would be justified in asking the 'Ovemmejit to maintain the road in

condition of safety tor the tiaffic which would plv. The House of Lords’ decision sets out that while it is not obligatory to maintain every read in a district in a condition for what might be termed heavy traffic, there is the implication that so far as thearterial roads are concerned the obligation is there, and il there is any offence in the matter is on the deriliction of duty on the part of the authority in not keeping up the road (of which the bridges are a part), equal to the traffic requirements. There is no doubt motor traffic is going to play an important part in assisting in the southern development. Instances have been shown already how helpful this speedy means of transport is, and apart from any legal consideration, it seems the duty of all concerned to ca-opeuyte in securing the most convenient rood accommodation possible to aid district dev elopement. With the bridging of southern rivers, the need for good main roads south is imperative. As the railway service is so irregular and un-, suitable, goods and stock can he trails ported right to the Hokitika market by lorry with the one handling. This will he an all-round saving which the Government, anxious to see the backblock settlers flourish, should help by every means. There would, thus, b> nothing unfair on the part of tho local body in pressing for that attention to the ltoss-Hokitika road which would restore the bridges to safety for lorry traffic, and so render a signal service in the further development of the South district. A claim in the direction indicated should ho made without delay.