THE ROADING PROBLEM,

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2143, 8 May 1914, Page 8

THE ROADING PROBLEM,

(To the Editor.} ' ' Sir,—Your column in to-day's ,issue giving an interview with Mr. Guthrie on the question of roads is of much interest. The proper and prompt reading of the country is of, great importance, both to tho land surrounding a new road and to the Dominion as a whole. But in suggesting a loan of a million for the purpose, Mr., Guthrie offers no new method for its allocation or repayment. There are many cases in New. Zealand where costly roads have been made by Government grants, thereby increasing tho valuo of surrounding private properties, without any contribution on the owners' part. On tho other hand, thcro are many cases where thousands of pounds have been spent by settlers raising repayable loans to make publis works without any assistance from Government. Both these methods aro bad, and might be remedied by a simple Act: 1. Making all special rates for new roads entitled to a proportionate subsidy or grant. 2. Making grants impossible unless tho land directly benefiting carries a special rato as its share. 3. Crown lands to havo tho same liability as private lands, by adding to tho upset prico sufficient to cover tho proportionate cost of tho loan. Unless some move is made in this direction tho borrowing of a million for roads will result in further logrolliiig and injustice, whereby in one caso tho Government enriches )a group of settlors at public expense, or on the other hand settlers pay the whole cost of a new road for public use. 'Where 1 land was disposed of on the understanding that reading would be provided, it > is tho State's duty to carry through , such provisions. i But in all new proposals for 'roading " some new enactment is needed, if we > are to save constituents and Ministers ■ alike from the demoralising habit of • bogging for, and making, grants. The I above proposal appeared in part in the 1 report of the Land Commission, 1005; ■ and I believe has only been ignored be- ! cause tho making of grants is of valuo 5 to the political machine, and no member r has been willing to shoulder tho work ■ involved in pushing so valuable a small ' reform through. I trust Mr. Guthrio may-look into 1 tho matter and embody some such safer< guard in his proposal for vigorous roadinc. —I am, etc., ; - WILL. B. MATHESOX. Ekctaliuna, May 1,