Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 1917. THE ROAD PROBLEM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1743, 2 August 1917, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 1917. THE ROAD PROBLEM.

THE advent of motor I radio as a means of transport lias become a necessity. Already along' certain inland routes motor transport of certain goods is diverted from (lie railway. Arterial roads laid down in the old primitive way and maintained by sprinklings of metal are out of date with , the new order of things. Local governing bodies are faced with a new problem in road construct ion and maintenance. To continue the old method of road maintenance in order to cope with the evolution of motor truffle is casting an increasing annual burden upon the ratepayers which will soon become unbearable. The old method has to stop, and the sooner local bodies realise this the better. The arterial roads of the future must be cither concrete or tar macadam. The initial cost will bo enormous, and who is to bear the cost? Let the ratepayers remember, firstly, that money is being squandered by present methods. Koad maintenance is increasing by thousands annually in the Manawatu County. This increase does not represent ■permanent work. If is false economy. The subject must be tackled in a more comprehensive way, and the Government compelled to take a hand. The motor is principally responsible for the tearing up of the roads, then let the motor carry its share of the burden. This should be done by the Government, not local bodies. The Government should impose a substantial tax.on all motor ears and accessories, and collect and pay same into a specific account to be used for subsidising Joans to County Councils for arterial road re-construction. We believe this would get'over the difficulty that noAv faces local governing bodies. * » # ft WITH the increase of road-travel by motor,. the main roads leading from Wellington to the Wairarapa and the Manawatu have become, to the general public, assets of much higher value but of diminishing efficiency, says The Post. No doubt in other parts of- New Zealand arte-

rial roads have similarly suffered, and it is plain that the Government must take the matter up and remodel the present obsolete methods of eontrol and expenditure. In the Wellington district there has been an accumulation of road-destroying agencies—a very wet winter; diversion of rail traffic to roads, in the cause of economy; a tight loan market and a general spirit of retrenchment; pre-occupation of Parliament with war issues. Some of these influences are necessary and Unavoidable; what is needed is a system that will remedy their results.