The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Const Times.) FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 2nd. 1923 WEST COAST ROADS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Const Times.) FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 2nd. 1923 WEST COAST ROADS.

A lIKCKNT visitor to the Coast, .Mr R. Macartney, a member of the Lyttelton Harbor Board, and Chairman of the Hoads Committee of (lie Canterbuiy Automobile \ssociation, Ims been giving a Clu'i.stehnreli paper ilie benefit- of his observations while on tour. “The thine; that, m ruck mo most about the roads on the Const," lie said, "is their all round excellence in view of the great difficulties of construction and maintenance. My remarks hold good for both the Grey and Westland Counties. mid it is difficult to say which ol the two local bodies concerned has the be titer reads under ils control. Tiie Grey County Council appears to be pat Menially i.irvlu! with its watertables, but. right throughout. t *’«■ roads are well crowned, and as » result-. well drained." Mr .Macartney proceeded to express tic view that lora! bodies here appeared to pay more attention to the size of the stone and metal used on the loads than was usual with most aiuhoril ics of the kind. Tile. Grey Council had erected mile frosts on a number of its roads, which was quite a. new departuto as far ns County C'iniiici!s were concerned, and an innovation very much appreciated by mior.irisiK. Supplies of nia.feriaC for tiie upkeep of the loads appeared to he readily available, in most case.-, which was gratifying ivi view < 1 the other difficulties to in; ovci'onie. Canterbury •was tell behind in the lualier of maintenance, and the visitor pmcecded to compare certain stretches of road in none ico creditable a slate in Canterbury with the conditions ruling here. “One of the most remarkable impressions gathered was the huge number of bridges om- encounters.” said Mr Mneaitnoy. "They rue everywhere and all in good repair. A great mistake lias been made, though, in painting the I’niu't-rails with i-ar. as this renders them difficult 10 distinguish at night by tiHitorists, especially when 1 hoy are situate,l at the bottom of a hill and the road curves before crossing the bridge." Mr Macartney said the metalled portion of the roads was generally somewhat narrower than in Canterbury. More diiection signs were needed everywhere, and particularly in the neighbourhood of Gioymoiiili and in the town itself. There was nothing to indicate the names' of the streets in either Greyinoutli or Hokitika. .Motorists could scarcely be expected to erect all the road signs and fingerposts required, and such work should ho undertaken by the local body, hut the branches of the .Motor Association should attend to the erection of danger signals. Local bodies should not forget, when u-lng tar as a preservative continued Mr Macartney, that timber once painted with such a substance cannot he painted white. Mr Macartney stated that he was able to .say which works were considered most urgent- by this Department. These were as follows: (I I A bridge over the AVaiho, increasing the motor-car route to tile south by 50 miles.

(2) The We«fc Coast road, connecting Greyinoutli and M'estport. It. was expected to have the whole of the formation and metalling completed by .March 31st., and the construction of four bridges finished by the same date, leaving four remaining to lie built as monev is available.

(3) The. road past Brunner opening up tilt* iloiomniiu settlement, nhioh it was hoped iu complete at an onrlv dato.

A Canterbury visitor motoring between Hokitika and Greymouth could not but lie struck by the necessity of a more direct- route between the two places, remarked Mr Macartney. To a plainsman the idea of climbing to a height of 000 feet and then running <lown again to the sea level, appeared a ridiculous procedure, in view of the t'aer t hat- a pood road with scarcely any undulations could be built- a few feet above the sea level and such a thoroughfare would bo by far the more direct route. Tlto.se remarks in regard to West- Coast roads, will be approved generally in the district, seeing that the opinions formed fit in so well with general conditions. Tt is gratifying to learn that the Coast roads compare so favourably with the Canterbury .side, and that generally, responsibility in regard to road maintenance here is being carried out in so sane and satisfactory a manner, and really on quite modern approved lines.