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Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1927, Page 2

Inn question of heavy traffic on County roads is being brought up in both tiie Westland and Grey Counties. It is a very important question, industries employing considerable labour being alleeted. It is manifest, however, that the cost for the upkeep should not fall entirely on the ratepayers. The local bodies in building roads a few years ago built for the then requirements. Access was the main consideration and lightly constructed roads were built to serve the settlers. Nowadays with heavier and speedier vehicles the byroads which are being brought into use for tho transport of timber from the more remote places, are quite unequal to the traffic. In the Grey district complaints have been made through the press of the alleged neglect of the local body, hut an explanation from that qurater shows that more than the extra revenue derived by the local authority from royalty revenue has been spent on the road. It is a fact of course that the hulk of the royalty from Crown lands passes to the Forestry Department, while royalty from private property goes to the freeholder. The local body invariably is the one appealed to. but its share of the revenue is very smaVl or nothing at all. so that the primary obligation for maintenance in such eases does not fall on the controlling body. In most districts now the roads have been standardised. The local body on the advice of the officers fixes the carrying capacity of Its roads. This Is done under tne motor traction regulations. Roads nre divided into different clauses rang-.

ing from light road traffic upwards. The Westland County Council had some prosecutions this week for offences in regard to excessive weights on a road the standard of which was four tons. Not less than six tons was transported on the day of the offence and a conviteion was recorded. Naturally heavy loads passing along a road at a high speed are likely to do special* damage particularly at certain times of the year. Hie legislature has realised that fact and local bodies may close roads altogether at certain periods of file year to combat special damage, hut that extreme step is seldom resorted to. It is naturally important where funds are restricted to see that no excessive impost is placed on the local body to maintain road for a special class of traffic, 'loose concerned must realise the position and should he careful of the provisions of the regulations in such cases so as not to unduly cause damage and bring the law upon themselves.