ROADING NEEDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 252, 5 August 1937, Page 6

ROADING NEEDS

-, T PAVING IN ASHBURTON COUNTY. STATE ASSISTANCE URGED. PROGRESS LEAGUE’S VIEWS. (Special to the “Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Recognising the difficulties of local bodies in financing road paving because of the changed policy of the Main Highways Board in not advancing loans, the Canterbury Progress League agreed last evening to make representations to the Govrnment to provide the board with more funds to finance local bodies’ shares of expenditure in accordance with the board’s former policy in road paving. The resolution was passed after Mr J. E. Strachan had appealed on behalf of the Ashburton County Council. “The difficulty that the Ashburton County is in is brought about by the changed policy of the Main Highways Board,” said Mr Strachan. “The Board pays three-quarters and the country one quarter of the costs. The Board has been in the habit of advancing the other quarter on a short-term policy for repayment; but latterly it has reversed this policy. The result is that counties such as Ashburton are on the horns of a dilemma. They are afraid to take a poll, and they are not allowed to act without one. It is most undesirable that counties such as Ashburton, which want to do the fight thing, should be held up. ' “The County suggests two alternatives : (1) That the Government should find the money as it chooses and advance it to the local body at a low rate of interest; and (2) that it authorises the County to raise a loan without taking a poll. “We feel the league ought to support the County and make representations to the Government in the matter,” Mr Strachan added Opposing the second proposal, Mr C. H. Clibborn said: .that if the Government gave way to the County it . might he called on to give way to other local bodies. He supported the first proposal. “I think we should go slow about asking the Government to practically deny the law which already exists,” he said, “and I don’t think, therefore, that the league should support the second suggestion.” If the Government was going to push forward its road paving policy it should be prepared to assist, said Mr T. M. Charters. The country was surely not in such a parlous state that the money could not be raised. “I certainly think that the Ashburton County Council is to be congratulated on the stand it has taken up,” he added. “But I agree that we seem to be getting on to dangerous ground with the second suggestion.” The County Clerk (Mr G. Kelly) stated, this morning that a letter in reply to representations from thp Council had been received from the ActingMinister of Finance, and this will be discussed by the Council to-morrow.