ROADS POLICY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2037, 4 October 1919, Page 4

ROADS POLICY.

A CHANGE URGED,

ARTERIAL HIGHWAYS

A, discus.-ion regarding reading policy occupied the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon. Members wore unanimous in urging l!ml the Govcrnmenl must devise some means of meeting the problem created by the heavy wear of motor t radio.

1 In asking for leave to introduce the Country Hoads Bill, Mr T. E. 1. Seddon ( Westland) said it was time they had some change in the’ methods of constructing nml maintaining main arterial roads. They had had several cases lately which proved this —the Taranaki case, the Afahawala Gorge Bill, and ,a deputation last 'Saturday in which complaint was made of the inability of the local residents to maintain the Paekakariki Hill road. Instead of deputations or .members coming to ask for assistance and doles, they sho-. aid have some legislation such as in Victoria, which placed the control of country roads under a Country Hoads Board. This board met, not in one centre, but wherever it was convenient for it to do so. It had associated with it Civil Service experts. I’iie hoard was in a position to decide which roads should he regarded as main arterial highways, and which should he formed in concrete. New Zealand was plainly far behind America in the matter of good roading. Mr C. 11. Poole (Auckland West) said that year after year hundreds of thousands of pounds were»wasted bv a patchwork policy. system which, without bias, looked at the question from the standpoint of utility, would do a great deal of good. Air H. G. Ell contended that this was one of the most important questions before Parliament, and the House should not rise before it had dealt with it.

Air C. A. Wilkinson (Egmont) thought good service was being done by drawing attention to the need for action. The concrete road was as far in advance of the tar-sanded rojid as the latter was in advance of macadam .It would be an advantages! the Government assisted in constructing good roads. The system of providing for maintenance *tt present wns chaotic. They had rates with unequal subsidies, and tollgates, and wheel-taxes, which were inequitable'in operation. The roads required to he free and open; not regarded as the properly of the people in a particular area. He did not think the Victorian Hoad Board system would lie so well suited to New Zealand, but jie supported the Bill because lie believed the question was one that called for attention frolfi the Government before the end of the session.

Air G. W. Forbes (Hnninni) advocated (he engagement of an expert, roads engineer, whoso advice would lie available for small local bodies. It was impracticable to <silk of concrete roads at present. Local bodies would be much assisted if the Government subsidised the money they

spent on modern road-making maehinerv.

“The lime li.-iarrived." said Mr J. A. Young (Waikato), “when the Government should seriously consider whether it should not ilselt enter theM-emeril-manufacturing industry, ‘ns this material is of such importance in the construction of roads, buildings, etc.” Mr- W, 11. Field (Olaki) said the country might very well study what had been done in Victoria in the Roads Act. He mentioned also (lie work done in America in Hie formation of main arterial roads. Jn this Connection, he quoted the ease of the main road front Wellington Id ■Palmerston, which was an arterial highway, but would require the expenditure of a nnieli larger sum than lhc*Wal bodies could provide before it became suitable for .motor traffic. The Motor Association had offered to be:fr taxation, so that the Government should experience no difficulty in meeting Hie cost of loans. The Government should lose no time in investigating the best method of providing for the upkeep of arterial roads.

Air G, Witty (Ricearton) strongly urged that the Government should take'flu? question in hand' and provide funds by means of a tire-tax of wheel-tax.

Air 11. E. Holland (Grey) thought the financing of roads should come out of the Consolidated Revenue. The land-owners whose property was improved by (he const ruction ol; (he roads should he made to contribute.

Messrs J. M’C. Dickson (Chalmers) and A. Harris (Waitcmata) also supported the Bill, which was rend a first time.