The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, MAY 9, 1927. THE MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, MAY 9, 1927. THE MAIN HIGHWAYS.

| An important conference of representatives of local bodies on Main Highways Councils lias been convened by the Main Highways Board to be held next week at Christchurch. The Conference is confined to the South Island where the greater dissatisfaction exists regarding the .Main Highways Board. 'There has been an agitation for long past for a Board for each Island, many of the local bodies in the South Island believing that the North Island, under the present system was receiving an I undue advantage. However, the Board has opposed a splitting of its authority and this Confernce is in the main a desire for a round table talk to ascertain what might be the real grievance of the South Island, and how best it can he remedied. The main highways scheme is now rather more than on its trial. It is something in being with funds, power and authority, and much is possible for its functioning in the right way. In the North Island ther is a larger expenditure than In the South Island, due to the local bodies finding more money in the north to subsidise road expenditure. The North, having developed later, the roads in that quarter are not as well advanced as the south, and in point of fact there has been more urgent need for greater expenditure up north than in the south. Yet the Board continues to levy a large amount of its income from the south, and funds are accumulating in substantial amounts. It is because of this large credit from the South Island revenue, raised directly for roading, that the southern bodies are seeking for a higher expenditure, yet under the regulations of the Board that greater expenditure may not take place in the South Island without a pro rata contribution from the local bodies concerned. That is really the crux of the question, and if that position could he overcome, and the Board expend a larger amount on South Island roads from legitimately raised revenue within the territory, a great deal of the objection and opposition to the highways scheme, as it is being administered, would vanish. The Board is asking the Council representatives .to come acredited from the local bodies with authority to speak and act, so that the evident desire is to see finality readied

on this occasion. As to general principles wo have to bear in mind that the developments taking place in road transport call for a much larger expenditure than was ever dreamt of before to upkeep the mails for the traffic. Not only must there he an improved system of maintenance, hut in the const ruction of new roads, a more expensive standard must he laid down. Motor traffic is increasing very rapidly. Within the last five years it has grown enormously. Yet- the roads in use are those which were built for horse drawn traffic of a much lighter load and at much reduced speed. Trips which once, took days, now take hours. There is more frequent running apart from the actual increase in the number of vehicles plying on the roads. It will bo seen from this view that costs for maintenance must go up rapidly—and they have. Jn pre-motor days roads which might he maintained for E 2.1 a mile, now might cost easily up to LIOO or more per mile. Ihe cost depends a good deal on the standard on which the road

"as constructed origina.ly. Built perhaps lor dray traffic- carrying a maximum moving load of four tons, say, it now has to curry double that load moving probably lour times as last, ilow are the local bodies to meet these intensified costs? The answer appears to lie that the Highways Board, which is raising largo sums must expend that money more liberally, and assist the local bodies more generously.