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It is not uncommon to see such notices as the following posted up at dangerous points on highways in America : — " Twelve-year-old boy killed by auto hero on March 28th, 1921.— Dr. W. A. Corson, Coroner." " Drive carefully. Nearest hospital now at least nine miles." " Caution. Blind crossing. Better play safe than the harp and a golden crown." Road-signs and Direction-posts. In the United States the provision of these conveniences is left largely to tho automobile associations : for example, the Southern California Automobile Association alone has ereoted ninety thousand signs in its territory, its membership being eighty thousand. English roads are very well provided with signs, the most common materials used being cast iron and wood. In America sheet iron and wood seem to be most favoured. Black or blue lettering on a while background is usually used. One of the automobile associations in England is using circular signs with black letters on a yellow background. I am of the opinion that the yellow background is better from the point of view of the motorist, and will also withstand tho ravages of the weather better. An important point in the erection of signs is that they should always be placed at a standard height from the ground : the motorist then picks up the signs much more readily. Standards for supporting signs maybe of ornamental cast-iron, 2fin. galvanized-iron piping filled with cement grout, tee iron, angle-iron, or wood. In England the automobile associations have erected many signs at small bridges and culverts, giving the name of the bridge and the name of the stream. Maintenance : General. New Zealand's effort with about 40 per cent, of her roads surfaced with gravel or something better compares more than favourably with that of the United States, which has only 13 per cent, of her road mileage surfaced with gravel or something better, New Zealand is behind, however, in tho standards of construction of her more important highways. These standards must be raised, but the mileage so affected will be only a very small percentage of tho highway system. The bulk of the roads in the country will not be materially improved by the proposed programme for reconstruction, on account of the restrictions of finance. There is a phase of the road, problem, however, in which New Zealand lags further behind than any other country that I have visited. New Zealand must learn to maintain the roads she already possesses. Tho capital invested in the past must be given a chance to earn, in spite of the motor-vehicle. Improved maintenance will affect every mile of road in. tho Dominion. It is becoming the habit to sit back and say the day of the gravel or macadam road is over. It is the day of lax maintenance of these surfacings that is over. There arc gravelled roads in the United States successfully taking motor traffic of a greater volume than any recorded on our main highways by the recent traffic census, and yet the condition of many of our highways is deplorable. The reason for this apparent paradox is simply maintenance. Wo all know of odd sections of gravelled road in this country which with very little attention seem to keep a good surface under considerable traffic. In such cases there are usually some natural causes which assist the roadman, but these; instances teach tho lesson that it is possible under certain conditions for a gravel road to carry economically a considerable amount of traffic. The art of maintenance is in endeavouring to create those conditions on all stretches of road. The way to get good roads throughout the country with moderate finance is not to make a fevered search for a supreme traffic-defying form of pavement and then build a few miles per annum. As great a mileage as possible of the medium types of construction must be laid down, but even the most optimistic must admit that this mileage can only be very small. The slogan for the country must be " Better maintenance." The few miles of high-class surfacing can only be obtained with heavy expenditure which will impose a burden upon the taxpayer for many years. Tho maintenance of the bulk of the roads can be much improved with no further annual expense to the taxpayer by the introduction of better methods, by better supervision, and by educating tin; actual man who works on tho road. A moderate increase in the annual payments for scientific maintenance of our ordinary roads will also give a better return than the same money expended in defraying the overhead charges on a few miles of expensive pavement. This attitude seems to be the one adopted in England and the Continent, where the roads are, in my opinion, more carefully maintained than in the United States. Where America has gone in for vast construction programmes England has rather given more attention to maintenance. In 1914-15 England spent 9s. 6d. per head on maintenance. The figures for 1920-21 were £1 Os. 3d. per head. On most of the main roads leading out from London tho cost of maintenance is from £700 to £1,000 per mile per annum. Tho average expenditure on these roads works out at Jd. per ton-mile of traffic. In May last I motored over two thousand miles of England's main roads, and was astounded at the enormous amount of maintenance work that was being undertaken in the way of annual bituminous surfacing. A very noticeable feature was tho great number of road-rollers used, as many as five being seen on one job. I also saw many signs in Franco of preparations for the spring maintenance work on her matchless macadam roads. The distinguishing feature was the enormous supplies of road-metal piled everywhere on the roadside ready for use. Before leaving the general subject of maintenance I would like to say that there is no country with, which I am acquainted where stool bridges receive as little care after construction as in New Zealand. Maintenance of Gravel Roads. The theory of all maintenance is " little and often." Subsoil drainage and surface drainage must primarily be dealt with. The maintenance of the surface of gravelled roads is best attended to by means of a road-drag ; the use of this very cheap and most effective piece of plant should be compulsory

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