Traffic-Control Offer

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30979, 8 February 1966, Page 1

Traffic-Control Offer

An offer by the Minister of Transport (Mr McAlpine) that the Transport Department take over traffic control in Christchurch will be further considered by the City Council; but the traffic committee favours rejection of the offer.

By a majority vote, the committee had decided it was not in the interests of the city to have the control of traffic passed over to the de-

partment, the committee’s report said last evening.

Financial considerations were not regarded as of prior importance, and the committee had determined the question on the general effect it would have on traffic control, the report said. The chairman (Cr. L. G. Amos) then sought deferment of the report until the financial implications had. been studied more thoroughly.

“We looked at it purely from the traffic point of view and might have acted rather hastily,” he said. It had been suggested that there could be a saving of £60,000 a year, he added.

On first view, the proposal appeared to be another attempt by the central government to erode local body government, said Cr. M. R. Carter, but if there was going to be a saving of £50,000, £60,000 or £7o,ooo—figures had varied —then it should be investigated. Was the Minister prepared to contribute? Cr. Carter asked. The problem was one for taxpayers, not ratepayers, so perhaps the Minister should provide a subsidy of £60.000 to £70,000 a year. The council agreed that the finance committee should make an independent report.