PROVINCIAL NEEDS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2198, 10 July 1914, Page 5

PROVINCIAL NEEDS

ROADS & RAILWAYS \ NEGLECTED WATER POWER TAXATION OF MOTORS SUGGESTION FROM WELLINGTON CONFERENCE. Tho conference of delegates of local bodies and . chambers of commerce, which is considering matter of interest for tho Wellington province, was resumed yesterday. ' Mr. C. M. Luke was in tho chair.

The first remits considered were thoso sent forward by tho Waiohine River Board. They were in charge of Mr. Colman Phillips (Fcathorston). Ho said that his idea was .to have through trunk lines on the fiat. The question was: Should the produce to and from the Port of Wellington landwards bo carried over tho surroundings ranees or through them ,by tunnelling. ■ His tost Coast line proposal would open up about a million acres of land, which would not bo opened up if Mr. Daniel's proposal was carried into effect. All the wretched business of cairying the lines over tho hills should be done away with; the lines should be taken through the hills. All the surveys that had been taken for the Rimutaka deviation via , Taulierenikau, had to go by Kaitoke, and th&c was 900 ft. above Lower Hutt, a big rise in a very short distance. For that reason he favoured taking the line via Wainui-o-mata. As to finance, there would be no trouble about it if the line was constructed by private enterprise. They should form a company of two and a half millions capital, rai&ing £500,000 in New Zealand,' and 'getting £2,000,000 from " Ho was' not in favour of , asking the GovernmenVfor money. Hβ did not want the Government to undertake another line, for the. Government could not construct or run the linos properly. They could guarantee a loan, as was dono in Canada, upon the security' of a rating area, which could b« formed.

Mr. V. T. Moore.(Johnsonville) >proposed that,/as most of the features in. the remit put forward by Mr. Coleman Phillips were embodied in other remits, 1 they should proceed with the next remit.

Mr. R. Fletcher seconded, pro forma, Mr. Phillips's remit, 'which consisted of a numbor of questions. Hβ said that lie had voted in favour of a Rimutaka, deviation, and he was quite prepared to lot the question of route he decided by experts.

Sir Walter Buchanan said that ho did not think they should waste much time on discussing tho routes which had been put forward bj experts Mr Phillips favoured tho Waimii-o-niata louto. and that compared favourably with other routes suggested Thoro was tho risk from earthquakes in tunnelling three miles and fifty chains. There wore other risks in long-distance tunnelling, as was shown by tho Otira tunnel Thoro woud also bo an ex-\ cessive cost of £138,000 over the Tauherenikau ioute He was satisfied, if they could s<>t over the risk of tunnelImp; aud the excessive cost, that the Wainui-o-mata route was very favourable. But they had already decided to leave tho question to experts r ' Mr Holmes had expressed the opinion that there t would bo nothing to prevent express , travelling.,])? the route suggested bv Mr Phillips Ho agreod with that uentloman that thev should have a through East Coast line to Auckland Mr J M Coradme (M-isterton) took exception to Mr Phillips making it apTiear that a great deal of country would be opened up by the route he favoured. That was not so The line would go through veiy rough country, and would bo longer than other routes It was useless discussing routes What they TV anted was a deviation of tho Rimutaka and the- best possible one they could get Mr Phillips "There is at least a million acres in Southern Wauarana to be opened up " All tho remits moved by Mr Phillips were lost on the 'voices Railway Deviations. Air A Leigh Hunt proposed a remit from the Central Chamber of Coinmorco as follows "That tho Government beuiged to immediatelv set up a Commission to report on the several proposed deviations relating to Rimutaka and Paokakariki railway-inclines, such Commission to consist of experts, and representatives of both city and countn Chambers of Commerco and>locil bodies ■' Ho said that tliey had wisely decided to approach the Government on the .Rimutaka deviation. The remit lio put forward dealt also with "the Paekikanki incline ' He suggested that the Jolinsonv llle incline should alsobo included as a subject of consideration by the Commission He was inclined to think that the railway authorities themselves w ere concerned with the Paokakariki incline If they had a Commission set up it would not mean the shelving'of the ouostion. There was a concrete proposal to bo considered, lie favoured lavmen being .associated with tho experts. " , Permission was granted to include the question of Johnsonvillo deviation for the consideration of any Commission that might be set up. Mr. Fletcher thought that - the 'Government should first be asked to tako into consideration the alteration of the Kimutaka, Johnsonville, and Paekakanki deviations. If a favoiirablo reply was received, a motion should be passed asking for a Commission to consist of exports and laymen. Sir Walter Buchanan said that ho was in thorough agreement with Mr Hunt s motion. It did not conflict with tlio motion already passed, oallino; upon the' Governnipnt to immediate proceed with tho Rimutaka deviation. ' Mr T. M. Wilford moved as an amendment that tho Co'mmission should no asltpc! also to consider tho suggested Akatarnwa deviation. Mr. Hunt thought that if a Commission was set up lh»v ould naturally tako Mich a suggestion into cnnsidpiation. Ho did not favour Mr. Wilfoid's amendment. The amendment was lost. Suggestions weie put forward that - two Commissions should bq sot no. Scmo delegates were of opiuiou that bv including the Rimutaka incline in the motion, .the resolution passed tho previous day, asking the Govprnrnent to lmmcdintelv proceed with tho wotk, would 1)o delated. Finally the remit moved by Mr. Hunt wae cairicd. vsandon Tram Line. Mr. G. ll.'Stylos (Foxton) moved: "That it be a recommendation to the Government to allow • tho Manawatii County Council to construct the Sinclron train to Mnrton, to give connection with tho railway-there." He explained that the Mannwntu County 'Council' lmd a privato , light lino," and they wanted to extend it a distance of nine miles, to connect with the Government line at Marton. Such a terminus would be of valuo to a gieat deal of fine country. Tho Manawatii Comity Council did not run tho line to pay a dividend To show that they were only- running the line in the interests of the settlers, they said that if it was found, at any time, that'the line came in competition with the Gov-

ernmont's line, tho Government could takd it over.

, Mr.R. Fletcher seconded the amendment. Ho know tho country through .which tho light lino went, and tho Manawatu County Council should be given permission to construct the line at their oivn expense. The motion was carried. Levln-Creatford Railway. A Horowhenua County Council remit was moved by H. J. Richards: "That with tho obiect of pioviding better railway facilities for that portion of the Wellington Province lying between Lovin on |tho eouth and Marton o i tho north, and for tho shortening of tho distance between the two principal cities of the Dominion, the Government, bo lequosted to make provision for the construction of the Levin to Greatford- railway. ,. The work, lie said", had been suggested for many years. It would moan cutting Palmerston and Fcilding out from the " Main Trunk line, but would benefit every other part of Ihe Dominion.

Mr. Perry seconded the motion, pro forma. While it was" a shorter route to Auckland, ho said there did not seem any possibility of altering the main lines, as laid down at present.

Mr. E. J. Armstrong' (Palmerston North)' strongly opposed the motion. TJiere vns nothing to justify the sidetracking of Palmerston and; Feilding. Palmerston was essentially tho main distributing station between Wellington and Auckland, and by the suggested alteration great congestion would bo caused.

Mr. B. R. Gardner (Levin} thought that Palmerston North wanted "the biggest b;te' out of the apple " Tho present proposal was not now> Twenty years ago, when a suggestion was coiisidorod for a through line from Wellington to .Auckland, a proposal v was put forward {Lav -a cumieclion should bo made between Levin .and Greatford. Such' a connection would menu a sav-. ing to 80 per cent, of the passengers who travelled on the Main Trunk line. Tho saving in time alone would be an hour on a nin3teen hour journov, and tho mileago would be lessened by fifteen miles. , ' Tho motion was carried by 28 votes h 10. • Harnessing Water Power. Mr. T. M. Wilfprd had charge of a remit (originally' in the name of Mr. Coleman Phillips) favouring the making of provision for harnessing, for electrical traction or power, any streams in the vicinity of flie province. He said that could the members of Parliament be taken through Canada to see what was done there, they would not hesitate, a raoni2nt to utilise water-power. They were wasting what was one of their greatest 'assets. Water-power would reduce.thp cost of production for o\ery industry in 1 tho country. They 'should not wait in see the result of the Lake Coleridge scheme. The citv would afford to pay the whole of the standing i charges for the construction of the necessary works at Akatarawa.or Wairarapa. When he was Mayor of the City tho council made such an offer, and the past Government was to blame for not going on;with .the. work. Mr R Fletcher said thiit people had no conception of the benefits that would lesult frym harnessinc the water-power a\ ailablo Mr S Harcourt thought that they should go ono sten further, and ask that the local bodies should be given the power to harness the streams In Ameuca every lfttlo local bodr 'harnessed the stream at its bark door K r C - % l , Luko ' ? Ir A Le 'R h Hunt, pnd Mr Coleman Phillips,strongly supported the proposal The foinie'r said that he was sanguine about tho result of the Lake Coleridge scheme In Uunedin there was a practical jllustration of what could be done by waterpower. By water-ponor they could get eleotiical supplv for industries at a cost of seven-eighths of a penny, as against 3d The motion was carried. .-Taxation of Motors. The taxation of motors, foi the 'upir CP T,°Tr roads > ,vas considered when Mr R Hall (Central Chamber of Commerce) moved — (a> "That tho Government be requested to introduce during the present session of Parliament a Bill providing tor the taxation of motors and other poncr-diivcn \ehicles"; (b) "tho rev°™e derived fioin such tax to bo allocated by threo special commissioners, appointed by the Goi eminent, solely for tlie nmpiovement of aitenal and main disti ict roads " Tho ainval of the motor age, ho pointed out, had made it highly necessan that the roads should I>o kept in good order Tho load question was a burning one in even district, mainh owing to the fact that they did not nave a Rood building material foi roadmakmg With the advent of motors, tlie quosion of maintaining the arterial and mam roads becamo very pressing It was recognised that motorists who travelled fiom one end of the Dominion to the other should pay something towards the upkeep of the roads Some S li m i a unlversal tax was desirable A suggested basis was on petrol another on tho horse-powei, and anl other on the weight of the car He did not favoui a-tax on petrol, for if an ♦ i * * cn , glnes I,ould bc co) - btuctod to use kerosene, and peoplo £ho rehod on that for lighting might bo penalised The horse-power of the nominal horsepower of the American US car" IOHCI than * Bt Of tbc Mr F TjMooro suggested that otlier power-unven lehicles, such as tiaction-eng.nes, etc, should tued He thought that the money so derived should be applied solely for the upkeep of the arteiial roads Uho ' county councils,were opposed to having to incieaso rates to maintain roads tor motorists Tho question of motor taxation was one for the Government to ' take up Mr Fletcher thought that the local bodies should be allowed to use their i discretion spending anj money advanced to them as tho result of a ta\ lie moved as an amendment that tho nordb after "solely" should bo struck out and "foi the upkeep of roads in their lespective districts," should be substituted '.

Mr. A.> D. M'Leod, in supporting the amendment, said that it would be an extremely difficult thing for'the Government to allocate-, tbe T money." He quite agreed with.the principle of the tax. . ~I UT -/'-?- Luke said, that if it was the> intention, to put a tax on motors, a " d ,s!V p oa«h local authority a portion «;'J *■)» they would be' faced Mth a difficult task. Personally, he thought thatthoy should approach the question very carefully before taxing industry,;;.; It was a' question for expert evidence . whether or not the motors Wiled,up the roads moro than other wheeled vehicles: ;

• -Mr. P. Townsend (Jliramar) said that it tiie; remit was passed in its present torni motoi'-ear.owners would be anproaohiiig tlio; Government- to' protest scainst thetax.':;- He wasin favour of taxing the cars, if they could devise a scheme to.spend the money on main arterial roads. ' ;. ;. ' ■

Wilford, who is president of the Wellington Automobile Club and' a member of the executive of iho Dominion Association, said that the local club was.in-favour of taxing cars. They had.-approached the Prime Alinister anil Mr..Massey had: promised t 0 g iv 0 . S omV attention; to the ,matter this'session. ..■flie 'proposal,favoured by the. associa- , tions tlirougliout-Ngw Zealand had beeii for a horse-power ~tax. He held- that was a most unfair scheme of taxatioiu Weight- of, cars should be taxed, and nbthdree-po.wer."'-': • ; •':■■..:.'•■ ■' 'Mist : further- discussioii-Mr; ' Hall's

motion was amended'and earned, as printed above. '. : .'..

. A good deal of,discussion then followed, to determine a fair basis on which : to. levy such, a motor tax. Finally' the following motion, moved by Mr. C. C. Jackson carried:— "The tax to be upon tires, as they come through the Customs/ and that-this confereuce affirms the principle, and 1 mako representations to the Government accordingly;'"; ■:■■' •' ■■; ' . ■. '.•■■'■'•- . ■ "-. , . Handicap. • • MiyA. Leigh'Hnnt moved: "That the question of! deviation and, improvement of main" roads between Wellington Cjty .and Paekakariki, and Wellington City and Foatherstonj be referred to the Commission suggested in a previous remit." 'He said that it was a well-known fact-that Wellington was severely handicapped by the. difficulty 'of access to thexback country. ■ ■ . , • The motion .was carried. ■

Mr. F. T. Moore (Johnsonville) moved :■ "That Parliament be asked to vest the East Main Road from Wellington .to tho northern boundary of'the Hutt County, and the West Main Road from Ngahauranga to the same boundary of the said county in a board to be called ; the' Wellington Arterial Road Board 1 . Such.hoard to-consist of five members,, ■two representing the City of Welling- : ton, two the" surrounding boroughs and 'town districts, and.one to represent.the Hutt and Makara Counties. The board to have power to levy a uniform rate over the City of Wellington and all districts within aiid including the Hutt and Makara Counties." He said.that.no fewer than eight local bodies at present maintained the two Wellington arterial roads. Not orio of them maintained the portion that ;they should, and his motion was to get some uniform control. Such a position as at present existed should be done.away with.' If they had a road board- appointed it could, collect ■the. money required from the local bodiesand county councils concerned, and the Toads -could .-bV kept in a proper way. ■ Tlie'Makara County.Council was quite unable to find funds to keep the Ngahauranga Road as it should be kept, owing to theimmense amount of traffic thrown on,the ; road : by 'the, City of Wei-■ lingtbn. . : ' ... ••'• '■" ".,:■.-" Mr ■ W. T. Hildreth. seconded tne proposal. . Such a board couM' do inuch better than the. local'.bodiek. -V i-W . ■ ■Mr J P -Luke pointed out that the Hutt'Road had been vested in the Wellington City Council, but the City Council had not' been given- any,, machinery to , tax the : local bodies: adjacent to the City.' The .council was not gom^to take on the responsibility of fading the money for the upkeepof'the road when 'the associated .local .bodies would- not remit was opposed by delegates from locals bodies closely concerned. It was stated ihafc the .'local bodies were waiting for an answer to the: representations made to. the Government to take over-the road : :as> main.:arterial road. ■; ; The Temit'waslost. • ? ' i , ;'. •'■ •'.'"- ;i: :': :■ Other Matters. •A' remit from..tho. Onslow Borough Council,Vas follows, wag: -..carried:— "That the Government he'asked favourably to consider -the. question of a new and, shorter- vehicular Toad from Kaiwarra to ' Khandallah; and Johnsonville, ■namely;.along the'hillside fronting theHiitt Road: ,^ >■■. ' ''■'.~-\ : . : '■ ;: ■■.■'"■■■■.'•;. . "That this coiiference approves, the Peathefstph'- County' Council's application for a;£.;'fo'r £ grant for improvements to: the' -ißimutaka : Hill Road" ,wasa further..'remit carried.: ..''■.' .... A v Pongaroa. of Commerce remit was 'carried: .'"That ■ ;the big ; estates suitable for closer settlement adjacent to Porigairoa h.e cut up." Ineiirporti'bf this remit : it was stated that it'.was-higbly-necessary .to.cut.-up- estates adjacent to Pongaroa of the town was'^togrp'.v.- •,■. ':■ ,:./ "■'"'.' '.. HMr.'F. 'IV-Moore "suggested that" .it should he a,suggestion to. tho Government .to tax -the large .estates so., that it would not pay to own large areas.

.A discussion ensued on. the possibility of reagcresation of estates, cut ..up. '.it: had'; already been decided that.the principle of cutting-np larce eetates-by mea'nSpOf.subdividing -railways, should berjaffinnitl. Before' the ; railways-, were -constructed it was held; 'tliatthe Government should take contrbl'of the land for closer settlement.

An Eketahuna remit: "That the drivers; of/all motor vehicles be licensed an d registered by local bodies, and , that it elionld :be mandatory on the Government to see that it was carried out," was:passed..; •:■'.■■■.■:..■ -.- .';■: '■..'■.;.■'■t';..'--. .

' It-.was'decided.:.."That the■reprosen-, tativesk of locaj) bodies and : Chambers of Commerce'to .the proposed Commis r .sion. to 'deaL.witli railway deviations; ;ahould be elected• by such .bodies, by ballot to. be .supervised by: a Standing Committee'.of the conference: ; ■ .

It was decided to hold anneal conferences. -.... ~ .'■ ' ■.'•.-.■ • :'■'■■

A' vote of thanks ip the chairman concluded the; conference. Mr. Luke thanked, the delegates, and said that lo;"was.' sure cood would result from their deliberations,. .':■'; ".. ..