GOOD ROADS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2033, 25 September 1919, Page 1

GOOD ROADS.

AN EXPERT’S OPINIONS. An interesting lecture dealing with the construction, maintenance and control of roads was given by Mr L. M. Sandston, at Palmerston, on Saturday night.

Mr Sandston, in opening, stressed the necessity for organisation for the proper control, construction and maintenance of roads, pointing out that the public were vitally interested in the matter, as they had to ‘pay for the roads, and would be more willing to spend the money if they were sure it was to be spent intelligently to get the best' possible results. The need for this had come about in the last decade with the ad-

vent of swift-moving vehicles, the effect of which on the roads had not been anticipated, and while the water-bound macadam roads had given good service, the coming of the motor vehicle had complicated the problem to such an extent (hat it.* caught the, public and the engineering profession unawares. In this connection he pointed out that the suction of rubber lyres drew away materia] from (lie roads, and did not produce sufficient abrasive action to repair the damage. They were therefore faired with the problem of getting some means to meet the situation. Mr fsandston drew attention to the strides In this direction which had t been made in other countries, rptoling France as an example of an excellent system of highways, which was duo to organisation and care under the control of experts. England, on the other hand, \&is an example of what to avoid with regard to organisation and control. She had, however, experimented largely with tars, with a considerable degree .of success. The speaker drew a distinction not generally recognised between tar and asphalt —a term loosely used. Asphalt's had been found to yield better results. lie believed there was no such thing as a “best road,” pointing out that different kinds of roads suited different climatic and other conditions. THE BEST SOLUTION.

The best solution of the problem, he contended, was the establishment of a system of control under competent highway engineers. He pointed out that in the United States legislation had provided for an office of public roads, with tiie proviso that the money entrusted to it must lie spent intelligently. The functions of this office were to do propagandist work to got the public interested, besides overlooking (be construction and maintenance of public roads, experimenting and making reports for future guidance. Under this system a definite scheme of road-building was'evolved. The speaker urged the necessity of the establishment of a similar body in this country, the training of highway engineers, and the introduction of a Government laboratory for testing local materials for road construction.

CONCRETE STILL ON TRIAL. Dealing with the different types of roads, Mr Sandston said that asphalt and tar had been very fully developed, but concrete was still in a transient, experimental stage: In using different kinds of materials, such things hnd to be taken into consideration as the nature of the district to be served, climatic conditions, the amount of traffic passing over it, the nature and weight of such traffic, and the quality of local raw material for the purpose. In the latter connection, the speaker pointed out that it was preferable where possible to use local materials from the point of view of economy. Touching Ihe question of wood-blocking for streets, lie mentioned it bad been used with considerable success in the United States of America, the drawback being that an even surface could not bo secured, and, also, that the blocks were too costly for sustained traffic. Brick roads had also proved satisfactory in many cases in the States, but he did not think they would ever become popular out hero. With regard to concrete, he. was not prepared to give a definite opinion, pointing out that die had seen many roadways of that material quite successful, and also others which had been failures. The problem confronting engineers was that’ of the expansion of concrete with age, and different processes to deal with the matter were advocated every day. y He pointed out that concrete made an ideal foundation for a road, but it was not absolutely essential where’ there was a good macadam road, as that also made a .suitable foundation, and all that was needed to conserve it was to treat the surface. The standard American road consisted of six inches of concrete covered with a two-inch layoy of asphalting. This was found to he durable and sanitary, ■ UNIFORM SYSTEM WANTED. Mr Sandston said that the, tend-

cncy in this country was to spend too much money on, expensive materials for some portions, and the rest was neglected. He contended that it would be better to conserve the public funds and.commence to improve the roods on a uniform system. He advocated the establishment of boards to deal with public highways, and the immediate- necessity for'establishing a Government laboratory to conduct experiments with local materials for the guidance of public bodies on the same system as that adopted in Victoria.

Mr Sandston illustrated his lecture with moving pictures, showing roads of different types in the course of construction, and also a very interesting (11m showing the pitch lakes of Trinidad, from which much of the material used for as-

phalt is derived. The lecturer was asked a considerable number of questions, and at (lie conclusion of his address was accbrded a hearty vote of thanks.—Times.'