The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1928. ROAD MAINTENANCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1928. ROAD MAINTENANCE.

Naturally a question of such great national interest as road maintenance found a prominent place in the agenda paper considered at the Counties’ Conference held at Wellington a week ago. The Conference was entirely representative of the New Zealand Counties, and extended over two days. During that period many remits dealing with the highways found a place' in the general business, and several discussions took place on various aspects of road maintenance. During the past few years a great improvement lias come over the roads of the Dominion due to the operations of the Main Highways Board, The revenue of the Board was limited at the outset and as a consequence its subsidies and help in regard to the roads were limited. But its means of income Rave grown greatly, and now permits the Board to subsidise on a much more liberal scale. A progressive improvement of the roads has resulted, and with that improvement motor traction has grown greatly. This increase in the volume and speed of the general traffic using the roads Ims caused the necessity for improved maintenance, as well as the laving down of better roads—that is of more permanent material. The more frequent use of the roads causing greater wear and tear has created the need for a better system of maintenance, and machinery has had to be requisitioned in order to cope with the 'work over the extensive lengths of roads in general use. Nor in this increased volume of traffic confined to what at the outset were considered the main highways. It has come to be realised that secondary highways have had to be taken into account and the Highways Board assists now with the maintenance of specified roads. But the Conference had a good deal to say about the rural or backblock roads which are so essential for taking produce to market. These roads are not assisted out of the funds of the High--ways Board, and the feeling was general that some material portion of the extra revenue derived from the petrol tax should lie earmarked for the class of roads mentioned. The Conference could not do more in the matter than suggest or make recommendations, and various proposals dealing with the main subject trere carried and placed

ultimately before the Government. The Prime Minister, in the course of a sympathetic reply in which lie appreciated the work of the local governing bodies, could not promise much additional aid at this juncture. The amount to be derived from the petrol tax and its stability as a means of income, were still to l>c tested by practices. But the Minister did proffer in special'cases an increase to £2 for £1 for the main-' tenance of certain roads when approved by the officials. This more liberal subsidy, however, covers only main or secondary highways, so that the rural roads continue a complete charge on the rates. It would appear that the local bodies have a good case for many rural roods not at present in the category for subsidy. Roads used by the primary producers for marketing their goods which add to tho wealth of the country, should have a special claim, and the peculiar circumstances hearing on each road should he studied with a view to pressing what should be a just claim. The trend of the public administration is towards the permanent improvements of tho roods, and each district lias the opportunity of pressing its claims, and where such claims can Ik; proved to lie worthy of special consideration, the disposition of tho authorities is to help with a larger subsidy.