The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1929. GOOD ROADS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 October 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1929. GOOD ROADS.

Thehe is a very general opinion expressed on all sides that the roads of the district are good—in fact were never hector. 1 he credit for this appears to be due in the main to tire policy of .the Main Highways Board, which began to set a standard and the local body had to move with the times and keep pace with the line of general improvements. From time to time there are complaints about the national expenditure of the highway funds, and charges are made against the Board on various grounds. But as far as can be seen in this Highways District, there is not any occasion to complain against the Board. It has set a policy within the limitation of its revenue, and it appears to he carrying out that policy very fairly. T,f the expend i Lure were examined microscopically it might bo found that for the time-being one district was re-

ceiving an advantage over another, but if the expenditure be taken on the average, we are inclined to believe there will not be any occasion for fault-finding. The aspect to be appreciated, we think, is the better standard of road being provided, and the willingness of the Board to help the local bodies to. emulate that standard. Seeing that'such great good is resulting in the roads expenditure, it may be assumed the Board would be pleased to go further and further in the desire to help the local bodies, but it must, perforce, be restricted by its available funds. It is very plain a large sum in the aggregate is being spent up and down the Dominion lithe matter of road improvement, and the whole countryside is deriving a benefit from the better means of cummunkrttion. The Highways Board is not providing new 1 roads, excepting where deviations or shorter cuts maj be considered desirable. The trend of the expenditure in the ma.n is to improve existing roads, and that has been of great bepe.it all round. The lo'-nl bodies are being encouraged to do more with liberal subsidies, while special help is' given for what are set down as secondary or lesser highways. The Board helps, too, in the matter of the purchase of road-making machinery, and this is a special factor in regard to road improvement. The work is simplified and quickened, and with the application of rollers, readily consolidated. In point of fact, a new system of road maintenance has been evolved, and the users of the roads are deriving the benefit. As for the Westland district, the story of the improvement of the local main highways is well-iinown. Residents have seen now tne roads have benefltted with the attention given them Bad or dangerous places have been improved out of recognition, while a long list of new bridges over streams whi-h" frequently held up traffic and disorganized communication, is to the cred.t of the authorities Bridges are being built at the present moment in considerable number, with several further structures in mind All this is for the general benefit of the community, which, however, usually a cepts these things as a matter of course, and the duty of the authorities to provide. But the conveniences could not be provided, excepting on a well thought out scheme and with a definite policy in mind, not only as to the works to be done, hut as to the provision of the funds for all that is required. In this Tatter respect very generous service is being done, and it is timely, perhaps, to call attention to it, as a modest way of acknowledging what is being done for the public good. The good roads which are being provided, and with which is incorporated the bridging of the rivers, are a great asset to the district, and a factor in its general progress. On that account it is worth recording to appreciate what is being done, and be' grateful for it. The general rule is to be complain only when there is a hole or a rut in a road. That state of mind might well be reversed, and the authorities praised when there is a road without a rut or a hole. That appears to be the state of general excellence towards which the roading system of the country is trending, and it is some evidence of the prosperity of the Dominion that such is the happy condition.