MAIN ARTERIAL ROADS.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 13 August 1919, Page 3

MAIN ARTERIAL ROADS.

DAMAGE BY THROUGH TRAFFIC. GOVERNMENT APPEALED TO FOR ASSISTANCE. At the Horowhenua County Council meeting ou .Saturday last the serious damage done to the main county road by the excessive through traffic caused by the railway "cut" came up for consideration.

The Chairman said he had recently been over the main roads, and those in good order a month ago were now cut up, and in places were awful, holes beting gouged out and the road made rough. During the past few months big gangs of men had been employed on the roads, which had now again gone to pieces, and some drastic action would have to be taken. He believed the coal i shortage question was a genuine one, and that traffic would need be by roads. He did not think, however, that the j Council should be penalised on account of its geographical position, and thought money for upkeep should come out of the consolidated funds. The matter was one that should be brought boforc the Government, and if the Council did so it would get the support of scores of local bodies. Ho thought the coal shortage would force the Government to deal with the main arterial roads, as it would be seen that local bodies could not carry on under present conditions. At, present the : position was that the Council would have to go in for a large overdraft or lc* the roads get into a bog. Some time ago a deputation from the Hutt i County had waited on the Minister re the Packaknriki Hill, and had been told to raise a loan, but the trouble was to get a lean carried. The Hon. W. Fraser saw this and advised the Coim- j cil to do the work and let other bodies j contribute. This, said the speaker, was | unfair. Finally, the Government agreed j to do the Paekakariki hill. If such I work could be done for one Council why not for another. He felt the Council must act and bring the matter before the Government.

Cr. Ryder said the man using the road should be "hit," and he would therefore l*ke to sec a tyre-tax imposed by the Government. ■Mr Harkncss regretted members of Parliament 'did not take a lead in the matter.

Eventually it was resolved, on the motion of Cr. Monk, seconded by Cr. McLeavey: That this Council desires to bring under tho notice of the Government its grave anxiety at the position which has arisen in respect to the main roads through the curtailment of tho railway traffic, and that the Government be informed that the position of the Council was a serious one, that great damage had been done by mail cars, passei'gcr and goods motor traffic, that so long as the railways were unable to take the ordinary traffic the condition of the roads would become worse, and that in view of the position the Government be asked to come to the Council's aid by financial assistance in order to help the Council to provide for outside traffic.