Cycles, Motor- vehicles and Tubes 481 



and by-ways where the stage-coach was never seen. The 

 sum total of the road traffic to-day may thus be in excess of 

 that of the Coaching Age, though, perhaps, appearing to be 

 less because it is better distributed. 



For like reasons it became necessary that not only the main 

 roads, but the highways and by-ways, also, should receive 

 adequate attention. 



Under the Development and Road Improvement Funds 

 Act, 1909, there was constituted, in 1910, a body known as 

 the Road Board, having for its special function the adminis- 

 tration of a " Road Improvement Grant." The Board was 

 to have power, with the approval of the Treasury, (a) to 

 make advances to county councils and other highway authori- 

 ties in respect to the construction of new roads or the improve- 

 ment of existing roads, and (b) itself to construct and maintain 

 any new roads, which appear to the Board to be required for 

 facilitating road traffic. 



The funds available for the Road Improvement Grant arise 

 from the motor spirit duties and the motor-car license duties, 

 the last-mentioned being i for motor-bicycles and motor- 

 tricycles, of whatever horse-power, and from 2 2s. to 42 

 for motor-cars, according to their horse-power. Motorists 

 thus directly contribute towards the improvement of the 

 roads, and the principle involved is the same as that under 

 which road-users formerly paid tolls on turnpike roads ; but 

 the present application of this principle is obviously a great 

 improvement on the system of turnpikes, with its excessive 

 cost of toll-collection and other disadvantages. 



The amount likely to be available for grants by the Board 

 is estimated at about 600,000 a year ; but, owing to an 

 accumulation of funds before operations were begun, the 

 Board started with resources amounting to 1,600,000. The 

 grants actually made to September 30, 1911, were: 



i 



Improvement of road crusts . . . 321,445 

 Road widenings and improvement of 



curves and corners .... 44,856 

 Road diversions ..... 16,906 

 Construction and improvement of bridges 23,947 



Total . 407.154 



2 I 



