TAR-SEALED ROADS.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 23 May 1919, Page 4

TAR-SEALED ROADS.

TARANAKI COUNTY’S FORWARD POLICY. LOAN OF £60,000 TO BE RAISED. • (“Taranaki Daily ?Nc.ws.”) ; A't ;a special ’meeting 'of 'tlie Taranaki County Council on i Wednesday tlie chairman/ in introducing the tar-seal-ing proposals, stated that at the January meeting a committee,• consisting of Crs. Coniicft, McAllom, Morton, Laurence and W’aolridgo, were, set up to make' enquiries into 'the cost and maintenance' of concrete, and tar-scaled roads, with a view to the council adopting some improved if possible, more economical' .method of loading ,for the carrying of the everincreasing traffic. The matter was first deferred to permit the engineer, Mr Branch, taking up his duties and assisting with file committee in their investigations. Since then pressure of other important • work prevented the report being brought down until the" present meeting.. At first the committee' were t'nvournblly disposed towards concrete roads as being more permanent and. costing.less in -upkeep, bub the' following objections put it out of consideration for the present:'. (1) It meant the construction of a new road

at an approximate cost of is per vara iof,.surface,- and for a 1o feet roadway £3S 10s per chain,, and £3OOO per injle. and the,county having over 60 miles of main roads, it would mean the raising of a larger sum than the committee felt justified in recommending; (-> construction would be slow, and some quicker.means were desirable of reheving.'fhe present situation; (3) the roads iim many, pla-ces were not suitable for diverting the. traffic; as it would '"benoeessary to allow' the concrete to thoroughly get before use; (-i)- the sto'ne, mostly available "'as of too sot fa nature to obtain the best result -v 'ln America, where concrete roads are much'in favour, only stoao-ol' the best quality is used. Tar macadam was wise .Considered and thought- to be costly, amP too slow a method of construction for the council’s requirements;/ Targrouting. which consists ot spraying very hot tier under pressure on to a new or re-coated road after being wet! rolled, followed by u coating of fine shingle, was found to be in favour in

some of the countries where information was sough/. The speed of the work was dependent on the speed of metalling *or re-coating, both work being carried on simultaneously. It was claimed' that when well laid down targrouting would last two-or three years without rc-eoating, and even if the surface dressing were worn off, the tar forced into the road' would hold the metal in place. The experimental, length 0f.73 chains put down last year atj Spotswood was done by this method, taking rather more than "'as required for .tar-sealing,' which was simply spraying She hot tar on the road' after being well swept, the surface having been prepared some time previously i> necessarv. This -was followed, by a 'coating of gravel, and usually repeated —that -was two coats of tar and gravel for a new road. After that one coat per year, where traffic was heavy, or one every two years where the traffic was light. They had inspected many miles of this class, of road in booth Taranaki, and they appeared everywhere satisfactory. The new short; stretch of 60 chains put down at Wai-i wakailio last year was wearing well, and would need no attention this •,soa-

.son. Therefore, - the committed recoin-' mended tar-sealing as being most suitable for adoption in Taranaki at the. present time, because the road could bc~ prpared beforehand, Which -would allow: of more tar work being done during| the line weather season. In the : 0 f the committee, it.was quite as tivc as tar-grouting and slightly 1 cheaper. The work already done had been paid out of ordinary rovOflue,' but* it was quite out’ of the question to con- • tiiute doing, so, as the estimate for laying down a.‘ls-feet road, which width, tliev considered. • essential for'present' day traffic on main roads, was £750 per j mile. Tlys permitted two coats at the! present price of material. The eorn-j Puttee recommended the Council to' take stops to raise a loan sufficient - to provide plant and machinery, and to seal-tar the main roads of the county,* about 60 miles: the money to be raised ;

front time to time, in such sums; ax was required for carrying our the. work:, that the money be apportioned, tu riding according to the-length Of'f,dad do-/ .ci-de.dMU lie ,inUs'?fnea.'aii(i that tt- spe-| cial rate be struck in ejeh..riding toprovide interest, estimated.-at.,*?, .pevj cent., and sinking fund to extinguish! the loan in 20 years. Further, that the| work be proceeded with-in each riding, pro rata, afld completed within six rears. The report was adopted. £ On' the motion of Messrs Laurence and Woolridge it was decided: ‘‘.Thatconsent of the Minister be obtained to raise.a loan of £OO,OOO for reading 01 miles and including-£3500 for plant.” The poll will be taken about July 16.