The Times SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1937. District Public Works

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 25, 30 January 1937, Page 4

The Times SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1937. District Public Works

The Manawatu bi-ds fair to become a hive of public works activities. An important highway improvement, is now progressing at the Whirokino, while two other big highway works are definitely decided upon—No. 60 secondary highway and the 'Makerua Plains main highway. Additional to these undertakings, two other big works are to be considered, namely, the Manawatu river control and the not yet dead Palmerston North deviation. To provide for all these works would require on present rates of costs, well over £1,000,000. Little has been heard of late as to the Palmerston North deviation. This work would require an expenditure of £500,000 or more to complete and there appears but small, prospect of there being ever received any reasonable return from such an expenditure. In this age of efficient road transport, the investment of large sums of public money on railway undertakings appears a most risky one and the reticence displayed over the deviation would indicate that the Government, wisely enough, is not desirous of carrying out this largo and unremuncrative undertaking. Highways expenditure, however, comes within an entirely different classification. The heavy traffic now borne by our main highways is responsible for a very considerable proportion of the national expenditure and the word “national” is here used in the sense of expenditure on behalf of all the people. The return or profit from highways improvement never appears in any set of accounts either public or private. It is, however, definitely measurable. Traffic tallies over individual roads furnish the means whereby the value of highways works may he assessed. As an example of this, a reliable estimate has been furnished for the Paekakariki low-level route. This work, now in progress, is to cost from £BO,OOO to £IOO,OOO. The saving to road users will be £20,000 per year. Thus this work will show ail excellent return. Could any railway work now in progress or suggested show a comparative return? The three big reading works for the Manawatu district will all prove of value. They concern not merely the district itself, but a great part of the North Island. Traffic from Hawke’s Bay, King Country, Wanganui and Taranaki makes use of one or another of these roads in journeying to and from the capital city. The Whirokino is, indeed, of as groat interest to Wanganui and district as to Manawatu residents. The decision to carry out the Makerua Plains main highway work will be widely approved. This offers the shortest, most level and direct route between Palmerston North and Wellington. The No. 60 route, via Tokomara, will, as improved, provide an excellent emergency route in the event of severe floods rendering the other two routes impassable as occasionally happens.