THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1919. ARTERIAL ROADS FORMATION AND MAINTENANCE.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 13 August 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1919. ARTERIAL ROADS FORMATION AND MAINTENANCE.

From all sides protests are being made about the tremendous amount of damage done to main arterial roads, as a result of the exceptionally heavy motor traffic caused by the railway "cut." For years there has been an outcry against the injustice caused to local bodies which have had to maintain main roads over which a great deal oi through traffic passed, and the railway restrictions have bow accentuated" the trouble, and caused the position to be unbearable to counties like Horowhenua which arc unfortunate enough as to have to keep in repair many miles of roads that are torn to pieces by outside traffic. At the Horowhenua County Council meeting on Saturday the much-vexed question was again before the Council, when it wan agreed that strong pressure should be brought to bear on the Government. At the last meeting of the Manawatu Couuty Council, also, a resolution was unanimously carried "demanding the Government to subsidise county councils affected toward.- repairing the damage done by mail cars and other motor vehicular traffic in consequence of the increased traffic on the roads due to the curtailment of the railway service." The only practical solution of the difficulty lies in the inauguration of .some scheme for the formation of better roads and their maintenance. This matter was fully discussed at great length at the recent conference of local bodies, held at Wellington, and it is hoped that, as the outcome of the deliberations on that occasion, the whole matter will be dealt with comprehensively at the next session of Parliament. It is intended that a Kill be drafted immediately, with that object in view, and it is pleasing to know that the Hon. T. M. Wilford has expressed himself thoroughly in accord with the scheme, and has promised to do all in his power to put the Bill on the Statutes. Mr T. F. Moore, who has taken a prominent part, in this matter, and was one of the leading spirits in the recent conference of local bodies, summarises the series of resolutions to be embodied in the Bill as

under:— To constitute by Act of Parliament a Government arterial road board of five members—one Minister of the Crown, two road engineers, and two controllers of finance—empowered: (1) To issue up to £2,000,000 worth of State legal tender notes as a first year's appropriation, secured on the revenues of all import taxes on motor vehicles, and a graduated tyre tax on ■ all motor tyre? imported or manufactured for u.-,e in the Dominion. (3) To make financial grants, to local bodies for wi-'eping and laying concrete oa the surface? of arterial road-s in accordance with plans approved by the proposed boards. (3i To determine vrkk-h roads most c&et_£;ous to existing lines of railways are arterial highways and to deviate such road.-. u» injprove grades or to shorten routes where necessary. (A.) To exercise all statutory powers f of any local body and powers of the Public VTorjr- Aft in carrying out the widening and concreting pi length of arterial road in any -ibmct in which the local authority declines c>i

i'S) To make regulation* or fey-law* I governing arterial road traffic, corn- j j«UiE£ ihi use of rubber tyres on all | pKjwer-erlx-e* . reakles, with heavy j penalties tor Jjreadies ,«£ tiia regnla- i lion, aajd prohibitive s-jwerj m *- e j casfc fit jtee! shod tractors, traction J • engines, asifcss, or ssaggons of any 11 description, the wt»eU oi which wools-. in;cre or destroy concrete reseat. *

The forthcoming session of Parliament will be. a short one, and will be q engaged with many momentous qucs- y tions, but, seeing the tremendous iin- e portance of this arterial road question, and the continuous appeals that have J j been made for definite action to relieve the present unbearable state of affairs, .it is hoped that the proposed Arterial Roads Finance and General Powers Bill will be placed on our * Statutes before Parliament adjourns. tSBSSSSBSSSSS