§ Lieut.-Colonel CAMPIONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport why, in view of the satisfactory results obtained by the use of ordinary crude gas tar, the Roads Department insists on local authorities using dehydrated or refined tar on roads under their jurisdiction at a higher cost to the ratepayers?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI am not prepared to admit that the use of ordinary crude gas tar for road works has been generally attended with satisfactory results. Many instances to the contrary could be quoted, especially in areas where roads drain into fishing streams. In order to secure a tar of known constituents and ascertained qualities, a specification has been drawn up by my Department, after consultation with representatives of the interests concerned, and, while local authorities are not debarred from using crude tar, the observance of the Roads Department specification is a condition attaching to all grants made from the Road Fund.