FARMERS CLAIM ROADING COSTS A NATIONAL DEBT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 1, 20 June 1949, Page 5

FARMERS CLAIM ROADING COSTS A NATIONAL DEBT

Meeting at Matata, the executive of the Bay of Plenty Province of Federated Farmers decided to urge county councils to keep a close watch on the proposed new classification and to take the necessary steps to protect secondary roads, and to give all possible help in this direction. It was decided to support the County Councils’ Association in their efforts to obtain a £ for £ subsidy for road maintenance. It was also decided that, while the meeting agreed in principle to the proposed reclassification scheme, it should strongly insist that, as roading is an essential the nation’s economy, any finance necessary 1 to bring roading up to the standard of any new classification be a charge on the Consolidated Fund.

Mr A. Robins (Rangitaiki) pointed out that the heavy transport which was being put on the roads at this : stage would ruin the roads and bridges. He thought that the federation should back the County Councils in their objections or should protest as a federation. The problem was rapidly coming back to the man on the land, he said.

It appeared, said Mr R. F. Wardlaw (Waimana), that the reclassification scheme did not mean an increased load but a reduced class of road. . The scheme was very involved and he knew that the Whakatane County Council was very concerned, particularly about bridges.

The matter had been extensively discussed; in Tauranga and it was thought to'be a further heavy burden on the ratepayers, and more particularly farmers, commented Mr W. I. Rushton (Tauranga). There would be heavy loads coming off the State and Main Highways,. onto the county roads, he continued, and the roads in the Tauranga County would not be able to take the thrashing which would be imposed and would go to pieces in a very short time. He suggested a road tax and derated farm lands to assist in the financial aspect of the problem.