NATIONAL ROADS BILL.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 3 October 1919, Page 3

NATIONAL ROADS BILL.

MUCH-NEEDED LEGISLATION. ( ■ • '■ 1 The Country Boa-d Bill was introj dueed by Mr Seddon (Westland), uml | provided a theme oii which the luemI bers of the House of Representatives I talked for two hours. Mr SeddOn advocated the creation of a National ) Board to undertake the construction iaud maintenance of important roads. -This was. supported very generally, as members realised that the problem of good roads can only be solved by comprehensive national action, as it is quite beyond the financial resources of local bodies. Mr W. H. Field (Otaki), speaking in the debate, said that Mr Seddon deserved the thanks of .the House and the country for initiating that discussion and bringing down his bill. The Government, he believed, could not do bettor than study- deeply the Victorian Act for the purpose of introducing legislation for this country. Referring : to the Paekakariki Hill road, Mr Field contended that it was quite impossible to make that a main arterial road. The ] road should be deviated so as to avoid altogether that high saddle. Mr Hiley, the lute general manager of railways, had reported that we could not much longer continue to haul railway traffic over the heavy Paekakariki incline; and that difficulty, said Mr Field, would also have to be met by way of a deviation. He understood that, as a result of a recent deputation to the Minister for Public -Works, a conference of local bodies concerned was to I be held to consider tlie question of the ’ Paekakariki road; but, so tar, nothing j had been done in that direction. Something should also be done in regard -to the other main road out of Wellington, the Wairarapa road, the Bimutaka Hill, which was quite as impossible as the Paekakariki Hill, and should be similarly dealt with by way of deviation.

Mr Seddon said he - realised there was no chance of the bill becoming law if it remained a {(private bill, and he urged the Government to take it up as a Government measure. The bill was read a first time.