ARE COUNTRY ROADS TREATED FAIRLY?

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 156, 22 September 1927, Page 11

ARE COUNTRY ROADS TREATED FAIRLY?

EXPENDITURE ON CONCRETE INFLUENCE OF MOTORISTS (From Our Own Correspondent.) TE AWAMUTU, To-day 7 . The question of road maintenance was considered at a meeting of the Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce held on Tuesday evening. Reference' was made to the Kawhia-Pirongia and Kawhia-Te Kawa Roads, and it was stated that the Main Highways Board had notified the Otorohanga County Council that if the latter would raise its quota towards the cost of metalling, the board would find sufficient money to subsidise it, so that formation and the foundation course could be laid this summer. A contract for metalling portion of the PirongiaKawhia Road had also been let. Mr. Clarke directed attention to the roading problems of Kakepuku riding and said the settlers had undertaken a loan for metalling. The main road was a credit to all concerned, but it had been subjected to a great deal of “foreign” traffic in the past few years, with disastrous results. Representations had been made to the Main Highways Board to declare the road from the borough boundary to Burton’s corner a main highway, but the board had declined.

Mr. Warburton said the Main Highways Board was subsidising the local bodies near* the cities to enable them to put down concrete roads. Thus all the board’s funds were absorbed and money needed for country main roads was not available. A general discussion ensued, in which it was alleged, and denied, that the board was unduly influenced by the Auckland Automobile Association.