MAIN ROADS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1925, Page 4

MAIN ROADS.

XISW SOI'TIT WALES I’ItOBLE.U. SYDNEY. Sept. 10. Tlie general belief was that when the Main Hoads Act was placed on the •statute Hook, and the new Board was created, the perplexities of local authorities as fat as roads acre conce: i.ed were coin" to disappear. Hoad reform, however, like all other reform, if it is to lie durable, must be gradual. The loe.'d authorities in New South Waleare heiginniug to realise that. The animal revenue of the Board available for the metropolitan area fur. example, will not. allow of a Into,, eapita! outlay, atliougli it would he easy to fuel road work round Sydney that would ..wallow it]) £IO,CO,(ST). 'Not .'I few nf the roads round Sydney are a positive disgrace. Severe I of the ‘ met rojioi it an eoiltieils have now decided to help lhe Boat'd to finance the work of road construction. They will borrow the money, the roads will be constructed under the supervision of the Bustl'd. and the Board will pay the instalment'; of principal and. interest on the loan. The advantage of this course to the councils is that the roads will b ■ improved immediately, when otherwise They might have had to wait for .rears. Again the Act as it stands is applicable only to main roads. To the disappointment ami astouish-

input ul' the country districts, that part ol ill. Act rolaiinp to developmental mad- rciiiains a dc;i l l lot ter until Purliainciil voles a sum to pm it into operation. hi 'victoria these mails have already absorbed JC-I .Odll.OOO. and the count rv districts ol New South Wales arc hoo dUI that this State will follow tic example of Victoria, which set aside £2.PC:).!»OD as the tirst vote towards t h“Se mails. The I elief an.one not few of the ! .e»! antla.ril iex was that when the Board was set up. they had only to ask and they would t ■- ceive. They can now see that the Borin! it- It has it - troubles. not the lea-1 ~f v.dticlt is to extract tiiißinii* IVdni the mtsceii with the iaiiltty that the e nijmvr draw- rahhils out ol a hat.