The Guardian. And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, ABRIL 23. 1928. THE ROADING POLICY.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1928, Page 2

The Guardian. And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, ABRIL 23. 1928. THE ROADING POLICY.

.Mu Jru., the acting-Chairman of the .Main Highways Board, speaking at llie County Chambers on Saturday night referred to the providential nature of the roading policy brought into effect in this Dominion hv reason of the main highways system. The need for something was the occasion for the inti eduction of the mode ot policy, so that once again wo have the saying confirmed that necessity is the mother i.'f invention. The main highway svs-

tem since its introduelion lin-x developed considerably—again tlio cfl’cct of necessities. Tlio transformatinn which 1 1; is taken place of late years in regard tc. read transport lias been icmarkahlo. Siiue the motoring aye became estaiblished, road transport has been revolutionised. Speed was the essential factor in this respect.' And, having created tlio means, it was only a matter of further adaption to produce the vehicles to perform the great services now carried out by motor transport. Tlio fact that motors are able to compote successfully with electric tramways and steam railways within a considerable radius, indicates what is

transpiring, and how necessary it is to build roads to carry that class of swiftly-moving, well weighted traffic. Xew Zealand is a young country, but oven so the roads of this Dominion in the main were not built for tbe class of traffic now requiring to use them

daily. The roads were constructed for lighter and slower traffic in every respect. and so the transformation which has been referred to, has thrown a heavy responsiblity on the local bodies to cope with the demands of industrial development and commercial trading, to say nothing of passenger traffic carried in large vehicles. Without a revised polity chaos would have resulted ere this, and so the Inghwavs scheme was adopted. At the outset it met the position with difficulty. The fact was the new das- of traffic had the start, and it took some overtaking. Hut it I icon me mxmssnry to enlarge the scope <>l the policy, and in parti(ular to raise more funds. One revenue was assured, the ability t : direct the policy (•) meet the requirements was only a matter of effective organisation. That was brought about and so to-dav we have the main highways system operating up and down Now Zealand. As was emphasised Indifferent speakers on Saturday night, the new order of things is aeroniplirshing its task in a praiseworthy manner. I Hoads are being improved in all di-

reetions, and one effect was mentioned by Mr .Tull when he stated that the number of motor vehicle's was increasing year by year, and though thov as-

sisted to provide more revenue, at the same time by their use. thev created abo more expenditure in the extra wear and tear put on the roads. But it is a natural effect, this increase in motor vehicles once communication is improved, and the greater the im-

provement the more the traffic will

grow. This has been demonstrated in

other countries, and .similar conditions resulting here. like results will ensue. The experience of this locality bears out this deduction, for with the improvements to the roads and the erection of bridges, motor traffic, local and visiting, lias increased enormously. and for those natural conditions of the local jKisitiun, a comprehensive reading policy is highly necessary for the general advancement of the district.