THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1929. MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5392, 25 February 1929, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1929. MAIN HIGHWAYS.

As strongly as Government interference in business is to be condemned is Government c.ontro] of main highways to be advocated. The presCjnt policy of a few miles here and a few miles there being under different authorities, only leads to extra expense, overlapping, confusion, and varying states of surfaces on the lOads themWere they taken over by the Government the whole network of roads could* be reorganised and a definite policy laid down and carried out. The petty quibblings and pleadings for grants would be obviated, with a. consequental saving oif time, money, and acrimonious correspondence;. For beyond question one central authority could do the work more cheaply than dozens of minor bodies, each scrambling far a share of appropriations and each having its own ideas of road construction, which requires the constant supervision of tb c Public Works Department—supervision that would be put to better purpose if that department were doing the work itself. With main highways nationalised local authorities could divert all their energies to their own district roads, and, unhampered by highways, which are a drag on their resourc.es and time;, make them what they would wish them to b*.