THE USE OF CLAY ON HIGHWAYS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 40022, 12 November 1929, Page 2

THE USE OF CLAY ON HIGHWAYS.

NOT' R ECO Af MEND ED BY HIGHWAYS BOARD.

The.use of clay, as a binding agency on highways' is not viewed with.favour by the Alain Highways Board as is shown by a communication recently received from that body by the Foxton Borough Council. The letter states that it had come before the notice- of the Board that the Foxton Borough Council was using clay for the purpose of binding portion of the Foxton-Slum non highway within its borough. The Highways Board did .not approve of the practice of using clay for binding gravel roads except where the gravel was intended v for a foundation only and was to be covered by some permanent type of pavement iif which ease a limited amount of clay would be permitted. Clay would bind tlie iroad all right but only temporarily. In dry weather it blew away in dust and in the wet weather it -was washed down the sides of the road. 4

The easiest y'ay to keep a gravel .road free from pot; holes, continued the letter, was to. keep a loose film of chips working con staidly over its surface. The action of the iira-ffTe.on the loose chips would make sufficient binding material to keep the road free from pofholes provided that frequent grading was calmed, on (at least twice' a week in the ease of the Foxton-Shaiinon highway). With regard to the danger to traffic arising out of loose metal on highways, the Board, said that provided the chips were restricted to a film v of dot more than one and nhalf inches in depth the method suggested was perfectly safe to Iralffic while the' surface of the road would keep in good order after. it had once been properly shaped up.

When the above matter was under discussion at last, night’s Borough Council meeting Or. S.' E. Cowley said that he agreed with the Board on the theory that, loose chips made a. good surface. This was exemplified on the Bnlls-Wiui-ganui road, which, although not

sealed, presented an excellent surface covered with chips, in contrast to the road between Foxton and 'Sanson which was covered with several inches of loose metal. The letter was received, it heiiig decided to comply with the Board’s request.