ARTERIAL ROADS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 3, 29 September 1919, Page 4

ARTERIAL ROADS

WHO SHOULD MAINTAIN THEM? COST MUST COME FROM LAND

In these times when the development of motor traffic has caused heavy wear on arterial roads, and thereby raised financial problems for the local bodies unfortunate enough lo have arterial roads within their boundaries, the demand is made with increasing frequency by the local bodies that the Government shall fake over the control and maintenance of arterial roads. A road of this description is that over the Paekakarikt Hill, one of the two main outlets from Wellington. It is little more than a rough mountain road, with steep grades, sharp turns, a, narrow fairway, and a rough surface." Tho country through, which the road passes is second-class sheep country, and for the settlers in the neighbourhood the present road is said to be sufficient. So the local body refuses to spend money on it, arguing that as t:he road is not used by the settlers so much as by people from outside their boundaries the Government should bear the whole cost of the road.

Sir William Fraser had something to say to a deputation which waited upon ihim on Saturday on this matter of Government control of roads. He was at some pains to disabuse the minds '■ of settlers and others of the idea that if the Government took over control the expense to the settlers would be all borne by the general taxpayers, leaving tho local people free or tho burden. Sir William h'raser said that if the Government did take over tihis work it would have to find the money for tho work by a tax on land. Tho money could not bo provided by loan. It would not be a fair proposition for ilho Government to build good roads through the country, improving the values of the land, and allow people with property to cscap» their sliaro of the cost. He cautioned the local bodies against this policy which they were now advocating so generally. In his opinion they would bo far wiser to keep control of their own finances and 6ee that they used their own moneys in fclto way they wished to the best advantages of their own people, than to ask the Government to collect the money and to expend it perhaps in works not 'demanded as urgent by the people in. any district. They must'not suppose that by handing over the business to tho, Government tho ratepayers, wlho were the owners of laud, would be able to transfer any part of their burden. In this particular case.- which ho said was similar to many others in tho country, the real solution of the difficulty would be for the local bodies representing the reat users of the road to join with the county chiefly concerned in paying a part of the cost of keeping up this road.