THE NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 7, 3 October 1919, Page 3

THE NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

—■ -4 UPKEEP AND IMPROVEMENT COUNTRY BOARD SUGGESTED PROPOSALS REGARDING FINANCE , A deputation from the Good Roads Association and the New Zealand Automobile Union waited on the conference of tho Counties' yesterday to lay before the delegates tho views of the two bodies on the question of improvement of tho Dominion's highways. Sir. JI. H. Wynyard, president 'of the Good Roads Association, said that a number of bodies such as the IViiiors 1 Union, the Automobile Union, the Associated Chambers of Commerce, and the Good Roads Association, were agreed on a number of matters dealing with the reform in road administration, but there were some questions on which their views wore dissimilar. Dealing generally with, the matter of road improvements, Mr. Wynyard indicated what was being done in other counties in road expenditure. England had made an extra grant of ,£8,500,000, which would be distributed by the Road Board of England; Canada had made a grant of■ £i.000,000; NewYork State had already spent ,£2s.fX)fl,flflo on its main Toads, and was obtaining authority for another ,£20,000,000. California bad spent .iG.SOO.fiOD up to the present, and was obtaining authoritv for a further ,£7,000,000. In the Uniteci States the extension and development of the main, roads-was one of the most prominent'matters,receiving retention. Victoria had provided =.£2,000,000 for Toad works, and a further sum of .£2.000,G03 for what were called developmental roads was being provided. When its was remembered that New Zaland 'had to : depend for sea transport to get its produce away to the world's markets, it was essential that the internal communications should be mnde a-s cheap and. efficient as possible in that the Dominion might compote with other countries oil as favourable a basis as possible. If only the pleasure motorists bad to bo considered, there would not he tho need to demand an increase in expenditure on roads, but all motorists bad to bo taken into account, and the matter' had to be faced from the point of view of the increased production of thn country. It was felt that if concerted efforts were made by tho bodies interest-ed-a start could bo made with it scheme which could be improved as' time went on. Functions of the Board. Regarding a national road board, Sir. Wynyard said the Gocd I!owls Association had drawn up proposals regarding finance and maintenance based ou the principles of the Victorian Country Roads Board Act. The association suggested .that a board consisting of threo members, of whom one at. least should be appointed by tho • Counties' Association, and the remainder by the Govornor-Goneral, should be appointed. . The members should bB exclusively employed on the business of the board, and should hold office for five years. The board's duties and powers should be: To carry out investigations and surveys to determine— (1) What roads shall be main roads. (2) The Dominion's resources in roadmaking and maintaining materials an(l the ;nost effective and economical methods of using same.' (3) Tho best road-making types for the whole or different parts of tho Dominion; (4) Tho necessity and nature of reviations or regrading of existing main roads, and the making of new main roads, to facilitate eommimcat'ions and to provde for modern traffic. (5) To generally lay down a comprehensive system of interlocking highways to provide main road transportation facilities for the Dominion. (6) Record and publish for general information the result of its investigations and researches and its geiieral statistics and conclusions. (7) Assist local bodies with, information, tests of material, systems of cost keeping, inspection of r'didsj; advice 'on road types suitable to their requirements, and on labour-saving road-iuaking machinery. (8) Regulate the limiting of loads on any main road, and where advisable to prohibit traffic, during winter where its use would endanger the Toad. (9) Purchase machinery, implements, plant, and land needed for the purposes of the board. The board's first duty should ba to investigate road conditions throughout the Dominion with a view to determining after consultation with the local authorities what roads are main roads according to the following considerations(a) Whether they are main arterial roads carrying, or likely to carry, extensive traffic between centres of population or from one district to another, '(b) , Whether they ' are subject' to considerable traffic from rural districts to the railway system or ports, -(c) Whether their construction will open up new districts for settlement or new sources of production. After investigation the board should submit a map of tn'e proposed main roads to all local bodies, with a notice of intention to proclaim the roads as such, giving twentv-ono days for objections. After objections had been considered/the board should fidecido finally and report to the Governor-General, any local bodv dissatisfied being at liberty to appeal to the Minister in thn meantime. On proclamation inthe Gazette the roads affected should become main roads. From time to i time the board should prepare details and, estimates of cost of permanent improvements it recommended on main roads. After being approved by the \Governor-General, tho local body in whose district the work was to be done should carry it out to. the satisfaction of tho board, power'being reserved to the Governor-General in special cases to direct 'any specified..work to be carried out by the board. The local bodies should- maintain tho main roads to the satisfaction of the board, except in special cases. The special eases referred to were those where thn work was of sueli magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the local body, or whore a -local body refused or neglected to carry out the work properly. Authoritv should be given to the Governor-Genor.il in Council to raise up. to one million a vear for ■permanent improvements on ma'n roads. The cost of ' permanent' works and maintenance of main roads should be paid in Hie first instance bv the .Dominion Treasurer noon warrant of the board. The board should before April 1 in each year apportion half the amount spent on permanent work and maintenance during the year ending tho previous December .11 between th» various local authorities, benefited thereby. Before September 30 each year each local body should pay.to the Treasury 10s. per cent, on the amount (llocated to it for permanent improvements, providing interest and sinking fund for repaying the amount in 01 yenrs, also the share of its allocated maintenance cost. For payment of the interest and sinking fund the local bodv could levy special rates on its rateable property not exceeding 8-10ths of Id. in the £ on tho capital Vf.lue. The other half of the maintenance charges should be provided by a fpecial 15 per cent, ad valorem duty imposed by Customs tariff on imported, and excise tax on locally manufactured, tvrc covers and tubes, and one half of the amounts payable for thirds, fourths, and halves under the''Land Act, onefourth of amount received for gold duty n;id also traction engine fees, heavy traffb licenses, or other fees on main roads, and such amounts as shall by statute lu> levied on at\y special industry responsible for continuous and considerable traffic on main roads, also main road revenue of ntiy other description. Taking nB a basis that there were 25,000 motor-cars in the country, the 15 J ei' cent, ad valorem duty on tyres would yield about i' 105,000 per annum.

/ A Non-Political Board. On behalf of the New Zealand Automobile Union, Mr. W. Benucliamppiatts, the general secretary, stated that. New Zealand was not well endowed with iiist-class road-making material, and it was thought that it would he beneficial if a laborntorv were established in which experiments could be conducted for. the purpose of discovering wlnt combination of the materials availablo would best suit the country's need. The union advocated the establishment of a non-political national highways board to administer the main roads of the Dominion and

classify them, and to reorganise tho whole system of construction and maintenance, On the main issues the nnion was in harmony with the Good Roads I Association, and was prepared to support its views. Tho union thought that some Modification of the Victorian system should be applied to New Zealand. To put the roads in proper order it would bo necessary to do at least a portion of tho work out of, loan moneys, the remainder being .lone out of revenue. This revenue should be derived partly from local taxation by means of rates, partly by Government subsidies, and pnTtly by special taxation to be imposed upon all vehicles irrespective of their nature and use, The motorists belonging to tho nnion—some 12,000 in number —were prepared to be taxed, and some time ago they decided in favour of a tax levied, ad valorem, on tyres. M>\ Ileniiclinmp-Platts concluded by beseeching the co-operation of the Counties' Association in the union's proposals regarding car registration and lighting of vehicles. After the deputation had expressed its views, tliff coiiferenco accorded the speakers a vote of thanks. Multiplying Government Officials. In the'course of discussion after tlw deputation had withdrawn, Sir James Wilson (lianawatu) >>aid that with regard to a national roads board ho did not think it wise to multiply <"he number of Government officials. It' they appointed a Government board l|fi did not think' that would satisfy th? local bodies. The present system might, bo amended ill order to obtain satisfactory results. Mr."l'\ Horrell (Rangiora) was of opinion that instead of one Dominion road board it would be necessary to set up a board in each of the Iwo islands. Mr. D. Boss (Waitotara) thought that if the Government increased its subsidies to local bodies, the .councils' engineers would be able to carry out effective schemes of road improvements. It was purely a question of fianance. Mr. S. A. I}. Jfair (Rangitikei) said he considered the motor-ear tax should be capitalised with a view to finding the money to finance roading schemes. Re thought that, there were about 40,000 or 50,000 motor-cars in the Dominion, and the money obtained from taxing those cars could lie used to improve the roads. At least ,£1,000,000 a year would be required for a few years for tho purpose of meeting the expenditure, and thisi would necessitate a tax of 245. per vehicle. At least two road boards shoulc. be set up—one in each island—and it might be even necessary to establish provincial boards on the lilies of tho land boards. Mr. Mair moved that a committee be appointed to consider and report upon the various remits dealing with main arterial roads. The motion did not tind a seconder. Mr. G. V. P.earce, M.P. (Kakaramea) then moved that the Government should not take over main arterial roads, as the local bodies, with their engineers, could look after their roads better than the Government could do. Mr. Pearco said tho Government should assist the local'bodies in their road works by contributions from the Consolidated Revenue. Mr. Rass seconded the motion, saying that the work done by tho Government had not given the satisfaction that county council work had done. Several other speakers having supported these latter views, the president (Mr. Al E. Jull) said that some authority was required to lay down a better standard ot roadwork than obtained in the country to-day. If the roads were to ,be made of a permanent nature many of them would require to be regraded and remade. Were the .local bodies to carry out that work it could scarcely be e.vpeetcd that uniformity in methods would result. Consequently, if the Government were going to be asked to pay an increased subsidy to local bodies it ivas only reasonable to- anticipate that it would require tlie money to be expended to the best advantage. If it were conceded that the county councils were qui to competent to carry out. road construction, he still believed that some assistance should be given by a competent authority.' The assistance should be advisory, if not mandatory in its application, so that tho local bodies might become more competent and economical in their road construction methods. . Mr.' H. Cornelius (Pahiatua) said that tho county councils were the best authorities i,o. carry out roading schemes under Government supervision. ITc was opposed to tho establishment of any more Government boards. Mr. T. V. Moore (Wairarapa South) Biiportad tho motion. In his district, he said, thay had had a good deal of experience of Government work, and in ■no case had it boon satisfactory. If the county council!) were to hand over the control of the roads to the Government lliey might as well resign, for their functions would bo nothing more than thos" of nwe 'school committees. After further discussion, an amendment was carried that the various remits dealing -with arterial roads, also Mr. Pearce's motion, be referred to a committee which should brine down a report to tho conference this morning.