NEW PLYMOUTH TO OPUNAKE ROAD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 307, 22 May 1911, Page 7

NEW PLYMOUTH TO OPUNAKE ROAD.

To the Editor. Sir,—Thp condition of parts of this road with winter commencing makes it desirable to question if the wisdom of the local bodies' methods in periodically dumping down great (inutilities of a soft., easily pulverised stone and mud from the nearest, source is the best. An old proverb says '"a stitch in time saves nine." The Hoard evidently do not believe in it, and our- road seems to be getting worse year by year, and, 1 suppose, will go on until the milk carriers lind the milk churned on arrival at the factory. Who damages the road'; Kirst. the carriers of heavy loads; secondly, the belated milk cart. These are the worst offenders. For some reason not apparent, 1 lit* milk must all be in by a certain hour, although, I believe, they can cool and keep it for weeks if they'like. The bakers and milk trade seem to have the same disease. They are up all niidil. but there is no necessity for it. Let us study the-formation of a rut and i[s growth from day to day. Where does a rut occur first? 1 should say. where the basement of the road is least. Xow. we know that, roads in Xcw Zealand are not commenced properly with stones, sav. ,-)lb each laid on stones lull) each, for a lot of broken stone is dumped down on clav. So ever after soft spots will cxi-t. and the heaviest load will lind them and leave a depression, and each time a heavy load gives a shock like a pile driver the rut grows until it becomes bi.} enough to break a spring or kill ii cyclist, whereas if a few stones were put into it when first observed if would cease to be a rut. If (here was something like asphalt to fill these ruts money might be saved, or. if the road board would pay only for the hard variety of stone—everyone knows it by its look less repairs would be needed. These stones all seem to be carted from the beds of the streams which cross the road in a very primitive fashion; and, as these streams will no doubt lie used

for years, trolley-lines and a hauling "engine would act much better. Anyone watching the progress of the coach or carrier notes that they walk up a hill and trot down the slope, so ruts should be equally on each side, and exactly suited for nil wheels to deepen. Now, if the Road Board decreed that heavy waggons should have wheels apart two feet more than light traps, ]>assenger traffic would be rapid and free from bumps. Or, if they- ordered heavy traffic to have three wheels on each axle the roads would last twice as long. Anyhow, to go on as at present is stupid in the extreme. The road from Hawera to Manaia is a thousand times worse off for metal than the New Plymouth and Opunake Road, and they have been trying to get a., railway there for years. It secriis hopeless ever to expect a railway to the west of the mountain, and the grades are abominable; so one feels inclined to ask as to when the Currington Road through the ranges is to appear? Will it avoid the ascents and descents which remind one of the old nursery rhyme: ''The king of France with 20,000 men marched up the hill and then marched down again." See-saw hour after hour, like a ship in a mountainous sea, is good for neither man nor, beast. Then as to embankments. The Board have made such as the.Tapuae Hill. The slope coming into Oakura township affords a splendid opportunity for testing:: if'fruit, such as peaches, could be grown of superior quality. These slopes, if facing away from the south, should have all the advantages of a wall. They wojtjd. I>e .secure ,'ffom thieves above or and of people passing keep bjrijs a .way 1 . But traffic will, *'lje, ißcreasing yeas bjf The motor company,.during its short reigty did not yß,uceeed in reducing tile cost of articles carried, and jt is evidently a question "for powerful steairi; machinery, traction erigines of peculiar construction dragging half a. 4ozeh 1 carriages with Westinghouse brakes. 'The, coach speed is about six miles per'hour, and the goods speed about four and a half miles. If the County Council took it up, and reduced the'eost 50 cent., the carriers would,! ,■ giwi up"; and of these engines , arid yaggons might -have two or three 'tyreSj and" so. spread the weight over' . & grea!t?surfaVse pf, road. Fancy the carriers with a ton or two up and tyres V/ z inches \yide. Have metal carriers parking the joad' constantly, putting a shovelful wherever a rut is beginning. i Can anyone say that the state of the Tapuaje at,present is desirable? An ascent about,4s degrees and a foot deep of coarse metal, a little at a time, would fhave saved all this.. One almost despairs of seeing the beautiful roads in limestone districts about Waverley, Hastings and Te Aute, that a week's rain will not make the slightest difference to, and i so white Jhat on the darkest night the road can he seen. I believe it would be far cheaper and better to get tlvjs shell limestone railed from Waverley. There lias been a lot of side roads metalled lately, adding to the value of prpj perty—and also to the rates. But most people are only interested in the main road, and the toll bar at Puniho is a , : retrograde act. with value of property i around increasing at such a rate.—l am, &c, TRAVELLER.'