PLAINS ROADS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5429, 27 May 1929, Page 2

PLAINS ROADS.

SEALING WITHOUT LOANS. COUNCIL’S POLICY INDICATED. An indication of the policy of the newly elcted Hauraki Plains County Council in regard to roading was given in an informal discussion at a social function at the conclusion of last Wednsday’s meeting. It was agreed that the Volume of traffic, particularly fast and heavy motor traffic, had now reached the maximum which macadam roads should carry, and any further increase in traffic would make the cost of maintenance excessive and more than the overhead charges for sealed roadL A loan for sealing the highways was undesirable, and when the engineer, Mr F. Basham, and the clerk, Mr E. A. Mahoney, who had gone thoroughly into the question while preparing the annual estimates, recommended the sealing of one mile of highway in each riding each year out of rates, the idea was unanimously endorsed. The experience of the Turua riding, where practically all the roads are sealed, was that the general rate could be reduced much below those of other ridings and still provide sufficient revenue for maintenance and general purposes. Thus if the main roads in the other ridings could be sealed in small sections out of rates and with the assistance of the main highway subsidy, the time would not be far distant when all roads would be sealed and there would be no loan rate and a reduction in the general rate. To enable a small amount of sealing to be done the general rate would have to be maintained at about its present level. However, if in any year to come farmers experienced hard times, the general rate could be lowered for one year and no sealing done in that season.

On the same subject Mr Basham elaborated on the clause in his report dealing with the haunching of metal and reduction of crown of the PipiroaWaitakaruru road, and urged that similar work be continued throughout the county as a means of making the cross-section of the roads suitable for sealing. He did not favour the sealing method tried out in the experimental strips throughout the county, but would recommend the laying of three inches of metal chips and binding with bitumen. The present red metal roads were crowned up high for a purpose, but a wider and flatter formation was necessary for sealing. This discussion was quite informal, and was not during the meeting of the council, but from the unanimous expressions of approval it undoubtedly gave an indication of the policy which will be adopted.