SUBSIDIES FOR HIGHWAYS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 438, 21 August 1928, Page 13

SUBSIDIES FOR HIGHWAYS

GREAT SOUTH ROAD TO BE IMPROVED PROGRAMME OF WORKS Press Association. WELLINGTON, Monday. Under the Main Highways Board’s programme a subsidy of £3 for £1 is to be provided for the improvement of Great South Road from Papakura to Hamilton. Other important schemes are also provided for. An important programme of works involving the reconstruction and improvement of roads adjacent to the larger centres of population in the Dominion was approved at the monthly meeting of the board. From the revenue available from the petrol tax, the board is making subsidies up to £ 3 for £ 1 for the reconstruction of highways carrying heavy traffic adjacent to centres of population of over 6.000 inhabitants. The board recently drew* up tentative schemes covering reconstruction adjacent to a large number of centres, and those were submitted to the district highway councils and automobile associations concerned. The concurrence of district highway councils and automobile associations has been received in a number of cases and the programmes were approved at the board’s meeting. The class of work varies from bituminous surface treated macadem and gravel to concrete, according to the traffic density. In most cases the period for the programme is five years. Following are the North Island schemes: Highway District No. 2 (Auckland). — Great South Road, from Papakura to Hamilton and from Hamitlon southward, about three miles; Hamilton-Rotorua, three miles, from the Hamilton borough boundary; Hamilton-Raglan two miles from the Hamilton borough boundary; Panmure-I-Jowick main highway. Highway District No. 4 (Gisborne). — Gisborne-Opotiki, via the coast main highway, 8 A miles; Gisborne-Opotiki, via Motu, 7i miles. Highway District No. 5 (Napier).— Farndon-Hastings main highway four miles; Napier-Tuki Tuki main highway, 26 chains; Napier-Gisborne, about four miles from the Napier borough boundary; Hastings -Pakipaki, 3 h miles; Napier-Pakipaki-Te Aute, and Te Aute-Waipawa sections. Highway District No. 7 (New Plymouth). —New Plymouth-Kaimata main highway, six miles from t.he New Plymouth borough boundary; deviations between New Plymouth and Puniho; Auck-land-Wellington main highway, Waitara northward, for five miles; Lepperton Junction-Hawera main highway, New Plymouth borough boundary northward, five miles. Highway District No. 8 (Wanganui).— Wanganui northward, toward Waitotara, 20 miles, and Wanganui southward to Wangaehu and Bulls. Highway District No. 9 (Palmerston North). —Palmerston North-Woodvllle, four miles; Himitangi-Palmerston North, 15 miles; Sanson-Palmerston North lli miles. Highway District No. 10 (Wairarapa).— Wellington-Napier, via Wairarapa main highway, nine miles; Masterton-Tinui, two miles. In regard to the Rangitikei River Bridge at Bulls, on the main AucklandWellington road, the board has decided to erect an entirely new structure. The existing bridge is in a bad state of repair, in addition to which its width permits of one-way traffis only. The new bridge will provide for two-way traffic. The board has decided it will subsidise the cost on a basis of £3 for £l.