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Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1924, Page 2

Tin Main Highways Act continues to perturb the County Councils on the Coast. The Chairman of the Grey County Council, told a deputation tho i ihci day, that the finance of the local body w;is likely to be vorw uncertain tn.tii the position with the Highway Council was finally determined. The Highways Council was to sit at Greymouth last night to further grapple with tlie position. It appears that while the representative of the Highways Board lately on the Const was voiy sympathetic, mere is some doubt as in bow far the Board will go in practical sympathy when finally declaring the main roads for the district. 'lbis riders more particularly to the reservation attending such mails in regard to tin amount of maintenance to lie contribufcit by the Government. It is conceivable that without liberal Government help in the matter the highways proposals can easily break down local government as we know it on the (oast. Ibis would lie regrettable. At all events the local bodies are much perturbed as to the final decision ol the Beard, which proposes to bring into force the practical operation of the Act Loin the Ist. April next. By the grouping of tin; local bodies they are expected to act in consort. It- now seems clear that it would have been better for the local bodies to act independently, and work out their own destiny. Although there is a certain iii,mnnmity of interest, local conditions are so much at variance over such a stretch of country a.s involved, that there is considerable difference in tlie representation of the respective cases. The Highways Board seems to retogni.se that there i.s a difficulty about the maintenance of such a long length of road as obtains on the Coast, anil proposes to give the district the In-neiL of Section 22 of flic Act. It just depends how far the provisions of that Section of the Act are applied to ensure the most effective administration of the new system.

WiTAT nas been proposed as the Alain H'ghwnv for the Coast district, is the arterial road from Karamea to the Ilaast. This is certainly the principal road, though sections of it do not carry a.s much traffic as many branch roads, some of which, are also superior feeders to the railway. In 'Westland County, for instance, with its length and breadth, the arterial highway ns tar as Ross is not the principal feeder of the railway, nor is it the road most in use by ratepayers. A.s a matter of fait within this County district, the r< ad in question, that is from Teremaktiit to the Hnast. combined with the Arthurs Pass to Kuniara road, may be regarded a.s a national highway. Its more general use i.s for the Dominion traffic, and that is going to be an increasing, rather than a reducing factor along the sections of road referred to. It i.s nevertheless important to maintain the arterial road for general traffic, as it is certainly the link which in the end serves all inrough traffic. That class of traffic haa to be catered for in me light of future developments. Probably tho initial decision of the

Highways Board in regard to the selection of main highways will r.ct be final, a?id that tho position will 'he open for review as time goes; on. In any case the policy of the Board governing mttintenaneo matters should he clearer than ir is to enable the loeal bodies to obtain a bettor idea of their possible liabilities. Some information-is required as to the system of maintenance to be carried out, and the standard required. There is no doubt, that machine-made roads will come more and more into general use, as a necessity to cope with tlie modern! traffic. The liability of ti:e local bodies under such a system will he heavier at the outset, and it '•'ill ho a problem to finance over the initial stages. Altogether the change over will present many new problems, the chief of which will be in providing the finance ere the new system becomes part and parcel of local body routine.