D—l

Main Highways On the main highways the Public Works Department completed the constructions in reinforced concrete of the 60-ft.-long Camp Creek Bridge and the formation and basecourse gravelling of the 43-chain approach deviation to it. On the Lumsden - Te Anau - Milford Sound Main Highway (No. 134) the sawmill for cutting bridge timbers commenced work at the beginning of January and enabled a start to be made in repairing the bridges on this road, and to date 43,479 superficial feet have been cut, including scantling and planks from offcuts of the bridge timbers. The bridges in the Eglinton Valley were restored to safe condition to allow the carting of timber. This involved the replacement of much decking and some beams. In theHollyford Valley the 80 ft. Cinques Bridge was completely renewed, and the timber is on the site for the adjacent similar bridge. On the Milford side, six bridges, commencing from the tunnel, have been renewed, and two temporary bridges have been eliminated by completing the permanent structures, making it now possible to transport the R.S.J.s to their respective sites. New sealing-work totalling 6 miles 23 chains and reseals totalling 13 miles 3 chains were completed on the State highways, and reseals within minor local-body areastotalling 4- miles 45 chains on main highways were carried out. Sealing Dunedin-Gore State Highway, 31 chains ; Queenstown-Invercargill State Highway, Lorne-City boundary, widening 18 ft., sealing to 50 ft., 1 mile 50 chains; Lome— Riverton State Highway, Wallace County section, 4 miles 22 chains. Resettling Dunedin-Gore State Highway, 1 mile 51 chains ; Gore-Invercargill State Highway, 4 miles 67 chains; Invercargill-Bluff State Highway, 3 miles 74 chains; Queenstown-Invercargill State Highway, 2 miles 51 chains. In Wyndham Town Board on Edendale-Wyndham-Mokoreta and Mataura-Wyndham-Letterbox Main Highways, 1 mile 24 chains ; in Mataura Borough on Mataura-Waiariki and Mataura-Wyndham-Letterbox Main Highways, 1 mile 58 chains ; and in Nightcaps Town Board on the-Winton-Ohai-Orawia Main Highway, 1 mile 46 chains. MOTOR-WAYS Legislation by means of the Public Works Amendment Act, 1947, made provision for the declaration of limited-access highways or, more shortly, motor-ways. It is emphasized that motor-ways are not glorified all-purpose highways. Work is continually in progress to improve the arterial roads of the country, but these improvements will not create the characteristics or allow of the functions of a motor-way. In addition to providing the most efficient and economic transport service, the main distinguishing characteristics of a motor-way are the control of access and the total, elimination of ribbon development, both of which will go far to improve road safety and prevent obsolescence. Except for North America, the proportion of motor-vehicles to population in New Zealand is greater than in any other country of the world, and since the end of the war there has been a further upward trend of mo tor-vehicles on the highways. This has. been particularly the case with passenger-buses and heavy haulage trucks. It has

74