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The promotion of every means whereby the safety of highways can be improved for all classes of road-users is one of the most important matters which have received attention. At the outbreak of war, studies were being made of design problems affecting routes in the vicinity of urban areas where conditions were becoming serious because of congestion and the wide variety of traffic involved. In approaching this problem it was recognized that what might be termed the traditional roading methods would not offer a satisfactory solution, but that consideration would have to be given to some adaptation of the divided highway which has secured world recognition through the effective results obtained from experience in older and more-developed countries. It is now almost universally recognized that, where traffic densities are not even as great as those of our more important national roads, there must be segregation of motor-vehicles from other forms of traffic, and that, while the all-purpose roads will remain for property access, for pedestrians, cyclists, stock, and for local and inter-village motor traffic, there should, in some cases, be motorways solely for the use of motor-vehicles. These would by-pass towns and built-up areas, and would traverse the country without ribbon development. Turn-outs from and entrances tothe motorways would be limited to selected points where the layout of the junctions would incorporate the safety principles recognized by highway engineers. The motorwayswould traverse the country in the manner of a railway with no ribbon development,, and with no access except at properly designed junction stations. The provision of this type of highway has become a matter of necessity in the interest of safety and economic transport, and- to this end motorways are now being surveyed and designed in localities where the demand is most urgent. At the same time, all-purpose and inter-village roads will receive due attention, and the highways farther afield, where traffic densities do not justify motorways, will continue to be developed along lines of safety and economy of transport for both passengers and goods. PUBLIC BUILDINGS With the cessation of defence construction, activities have been concentrated on. urgent civil works, included amongst which are the following : Department of Agriculture. —Buildings have been erected in connection with theanimal research station at Manutuke, near Gisborne. Air Department. —A new signals area has been completed at Gisborne Aerodrome,, and a new control tower is in course of erection at Wigram. Army Department.—Six large store buildings, ex Waterloo, Pahautanui, and McKay'sCrossing, have been re-erected at Trentham, and additions to the Ordnance Stores at Hopu Hopu Military Camp have been completed. Education Department.—The lodge has been completed at Lincoln College, and the new Wellington Girls' College, Lower Hutt Intermediate School, and a new dormitory block at Burwood Girls' Home are under construction. Government Buildings.—Reconstruction of the Manawatu Building in Pahnerston North is well in hand, and rearrangement of offices at Hamilton, Hokitika and Invercargill have been completed. Health Department.—New or additional hospital accommodation has been provided at Hanmer and Nelson ; and staff accommodation at Nelson and Palmerston North. Additional accommodation has been provided at the Children's Health Camp at Maunu. The emergency block No. 2 at Burwood Hospital is nearing completion. Marketing Department.—Extensions to buildings in connection with dehydration plants have been completed at Riccarton and Pukekohe. Two wool-stores have been erected at Napier.

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