95

D.—l

Table Q.-Available Water-power in New Zealand— continued.

APPENDIX E. REPORT ON MODERN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE. By A. Tyndall, A.M.Inst.C.E, Assoc.M.Am.Soc.C.E. Introduction. This report is in the nature of a record of observations made, data collected, and opinions formed during twelve months' study of the construction and maintenance of rural highways abroad. The subject of street-construction in cities is not intended to be covered. I had the opportunity of inspecting roads in the following countries : England, Scotland, France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, United States, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, and Panama. New Zealand's problems are very similar to those being faced in the more thinly populated of the United States of America. Although many millions of pounds have been spent on roadconstruction in the United States in recent years, it should be realized that the country claims only 374,000 miles of " good roads " out of a total mileage of about 2,800,000. The " good roads " comprise all the surfaced mileage, including at least 170,000 miles gravelled. It would appear, therefore, that New Zealand, with 23,000 miles surfaced out of a total of 59,000 miles, is well to the fore amongst the newer countries as regards the proportion of surfaced mileage (40 per cent, in New Zealand as against 13-4 per cent, in United States of America.) The. problem ahead is not so much to extend the system of surfaced roads as to bring up to a standard commensurate with the traffic tho main thoroughfares of the Dominion, and also to learn to maintain the roads we have already built.

Source of Power. Position of Power-house. Available per Second. Average on 50-p< Load B i Power er-cent. 'actor. Nearest City, Port, or Deep Water. CO CO a j rS 5 Canterbury District —continued. Rakaia River Lake Heron Opihi River Pukaki Lake Tekapo Lake Ohau Lake Gorge Bridge Rakaia River Opihi (Jorge Pukaki Fairlie Waitaki River Ft. 2,600 30 300 200 200 400 5,000t 460 5,100t 900 5,000f 300 H.p. 6,500 5,000 6,700 50,000 400,000 125,000 Kw. 4,800 3,750 5,000 37,000 300,000 90,000 Christchurch.. Christchurch.. Timaru Timaru Timaru Timaru Miles. 50 88 30 85 40 85 Hago and Southland District —■ Ahuriri River Waitaki River Waipori Falls Lee Stream Deep Stream Taieri River Talla Burn Teviot River Manuherika River Hawea Lake Shotover Lake Hall Lake Cecil Lake Hilda Lake Te Anau Lake Manapouri Bowen Falls Lake Monowai Lake Hauroto Waitaki River Waitaki River Waipori River Outram .. ... Taieri River Deep Stream Clutha River Roxburgh Chatto Creek Wanaka Lake Wakatipu Lake Doubtful Sound Lake Te Anau Lake Te Anau George Sound Smith Sound Milford Sound Waiau River Tewaewae Bay 600 200 15,000 30 230f 700 15* 750 110 900 700 220 30 890 100t 1,900 200 350 2,500t 205 500 250 220 2,625 200 900 550 1,190 12,630 694 8,400t 600 700 600 500t 160 2,300 514 10,000 37,000 26,800 1,800 8,400 12,000 2,200 30,000 5,800 80,000 10,000 48,000 15,000 55,000 1,600.000 840,000 35,000 16,000 100,000 7,500 28,000 20,000 1,300 6,300 9,000 1,600 21,000 4,400 60,000 7,500 36,000 11,200 41,080 1,200,000 630,000 25,000 12,000 75,000 3.074.430 Oamaru Oamaru Dunedin Dunedin Dunedin Dunedin Dunedin Dunedin Dunedin Dunedin Invercargill .. On seaboard.. On seaboard.. On seaboard.. On seaboard.. On seaboard.. On seaboard.. Invercargill .. Invercargill .. 62 60 30 18 20 44 60 90 127 170 112 60 51 Totals—South Island 4,110,950 4,110,950 3,074,430 * Signifies daily storage a•ailable to utilize 50-per-cent. . load-factor. t Kij ignifles aoasi ignifles aoasi onal storagt onal storage ; made available.