Road Board Grants to Highway Authorities.
Page 11
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During the months of October, November and December, 1911, the Road Board, with the approval of the Treasury, made advances amounting to £33,787 from the Road Improvement Fund to county councils and other highway authorities as follow:— For the improvement of road crusts (in cluding grants towards tar macadam, etc., and surface tarring) ... „. £29,045 For road widenings and improvement of curves and corners ... ... -1,223
For road diversions ... 519 The total grants op to the 31st December are as follow :-• -
For the improvement of roa.d crusts ... S.:347,407 For road widenings and improvement of curves and corners ... ... 30,436 For road diversions „. ... .. . 17,094 For construction and improvement of bridges ... ... ... ... 13,897 Advances by way of loan have also been made to the sum of E8,173. In addition, grants amounting in the aggregate to 2490,413 have been indicated to highway authorities towards works of improvement or which the details are still under consideration and discussion. Conditions for the Future.
The following copy of minute of the Road Board, dated 8th December, 1911, is of interest :— " 1. The purpose of the following minute is to set forth generally the practice which the Board propose to follow in making grants to county councils and other highway authorities in respect of such improvements of existing roads as consist of works designed to strengthen and improve the road crusts. " 2. The only powers which the Board possess to make grants are those contained in the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909, and that Act expressly excludes from the category of improvements all works which fall within the description of ' ordinary repairs essential to placing a roa.d in a proper state of repair.'
" 3. The maintenance or repair of any road must necessarily involve the recoating or renewal from Lime to time as required of the wearing surface or surface crust which is worn away by the effect either of traffic or of weather and natural deterioration or decay. It is necessary therefore to draw a distinction between works which consist of—
(1) Strengthening or thickening the sub-crust or foundations, both of which may be included in