WAIUKU'S GOOD ROADS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 2, Issue 138, 21 October 1913, Page 1

WAIUKU'S GOOD ROADS.

Make Travelling Easy Our {ravelling' representative writes: — Having now been practically all over the Franklin County, as well as portions of tlie adjoining counties, a splendid opportunity lias been afforded me of noting the comparisons and methods of roads and road construction of the various local bodies in the different districts.

To start with I can safely give the palm for best winter roads to the Waiuku district, and Pukekohe and Mauku come an easy last. In Waiuku I do not see that a much better method lias been adopted for grading and metalling, but where they have scored, and that heavily, is in the upkeep when once the metal was put down. The notoriously neglected main roads and by roads that one sees all through Pukekohe and Mauku are never found in Waiuku. As soon as the first sign of a rut or hole is seen, promptly the permanent surface man is on the spot, and it is remedied, and by this simple method alone Waiuku lias never felt the winter as far as roads were concerned. A Mauku resident said to me quite recently he would rather drive to Waiuku twice than to Pukekohe once, notwithstanding that the distance for one journey is a mile greater to Waiuku. This method of employing a permanent surface man with a team and road tools is 110 doubt an excellent one, and one that should commend itself to the County Council. In most districts, and more particularly in the defaulting districts I have mentioned, metal, when once put down, is left to take care of itself. In a very few weeks a deep rut is gouged out, and good material that costs from 10/- to 12/- a yard allowed to straggle into the side tracks and gutters. If a permanent man were employed and was instructed to rake in this metal, after a week or two there would be a double layer on the spot where most required (the wheel tracks), and there would be some chauce of making the metalled sections at any rate passable for vehicular traffic. But it is rarely done. I know of places in the Pukekohe and Mauku districts where new uietal has been allowed to get light cut through and the road become almost impassable — certainly exceedingly uncomfortable to drive a gig or trap over—when a few hours' work would have paid handsomely. It would have saved many yards of metal being wasted. Of course the Waiuku Board's surface man is a good one, and a man that can be trusted to do the right thing, but other districts could no doubt secure just as competent workmen if a permanent job were offered, and a fair rate of wages paid. You will think I hold a brief for Waiuku. I'm sorry to say Ido not live there. All this past winter it has been possible, as soon as one got past the Mauku boundary, to drive a pig or buggy with as much comfort to Waiuku as could be got in most other places in summer. Some will say there is not the traffic: probably there is not the quantity, but there is the weight, and for downright roadspoilers you can't beat the heavy loads of cream that daily come through the Waiuku district. In Maungatawhiri there is a good road, but there traffic is practically confined to one main road, which has been well looked after, and has not been allowed to get out of hand. Some will think the Waiuku Boards have demanded heavy rates, but this is not so; neither with loans nor rates have the local bodies been pressing with undue heaviness on the ratepayers. In fact I think they are below the average. But the methods adopted have been good, and the principle of doing well whatever was done lias been steadily adhered to, and the result has been satisfactory to all.

In "NVaiuku the worst highway is 1 lie main street. All loads leading thereto are well cared for, hut. the street has certainly a neglected appearance. This no doubt was caused by the dual control which held good until recently. With the advent of a Town Hoard this defect would be remedied, and thai easily, for no road lends itsolf to such ready construction.