Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1920. A MAIN HIGHWAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2213, 9 December 1920, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1920. A MAIN HIGHWAY.

THE construction of a main arterial road through (he Dominion was the subject of a statement by Mr J, B. Clarkson, of Sydney, who is now.iu Auckland. He advocated (he building of a concrete road from the North Cape to the Bluff, and suggested that the cost should be made a levy on. the unearned increment of lands which such a road would affect. Mr Clarkson said lhaf lie had just completed a motor tour of the Dominion, having travelled 2,300 miles, and he found the mads in a very had stale of repair. He altribnted this to a great extent to the fact that here had been heavy calls upon the revenue of local bodies during the war period., hi advocating the construct ion of a concrete arterial road right through New Zealand, Mr Clarkson said he was pleased to notice that, the Minister for Public Works, tlie Hon. J. G. Coates. had definitely decided that a main metalled highway was to he made from one end of the country to the oilier. Ho did not agree, however, that a metal road would be sufficient. His idea was that through country districts a concrete road from I,oft. lo I2fl. would be adequate, but nearer jjie populous centres a full-width highway would be necessary. A concrete road would enable the transport of produce to lie carried out economically. The time had arrived for everything to be done efficiently and with due regard to economy, and the only way to handle the produce of the country economically was hy utilising a motor transport service. Air Clarkson suggested that a road such

as ho proposed could be Infill at no cost to the community —all ilia I was required .was for Hie Government (o take power to load the lands, which would be increased in value, in consequence of I lie construction of the highway, with the cost of the work.