MAIN HIGHWAYS SYSTEM

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 128, 28 February 1928, Page 8

MAIN HIGHWAYS SYSTEM

PETROL TAX DISTRIBUTION SUBSIDIES ON SECONDARY ROADS ASSISTING SURFACE TREATMENT Following closely in the wake of the declaration as main highways of 185 miles of streets through smaller boroughs, a Gazette notice will shortly appear “declaring” the 2600 miles of secondary roads in counties selected by the Main Highways Board at its last meeting. The allocation of the revenue derived from the petrol tax provides for the distribution of 25 per cent, for assistance to counties on secondary roads, of which, as already announced, a total length of 3009 miles is to be selected. As soon as these secondary highways are declared the local authorities will receive a subsidy on maintenance. At present no such subsidy is payable. Until such time, however, as the board is in a position to know what the proceeds from the petrol tax will be, end also what expenditure is involved in tne maintenance of the secondary highways system, it will not be possible to' subsidise construction works on these highways Surface Treatment. With the amount allocated under the heading of main highways adjacent to the larger centres of population—2s per cent.—it is intended that heavy traffic roads in counties near the largei centres shall be surface treated, and where circumstances justify it the board will, in all probability, grant a preferential subsidy up to, perhaps, in special cases, £3 for £1 towards the cost of such better class of pavement. In pursuance of this policy the board n short time ago approved a payment of a £3 for £1 subsidy to the Waimain' County Council, near Christchurch, towards the cost of constructing a better type of pavement lietween Christchurch and Chaney’s Corner. Specifications, etc., have been prepared for this work, and tenders will close on March 1. ~ , m The board has approved a £2 fc.r £1 subside towards the surface treatment of the main highway southwards from Wanganui as far ns Wangaeliu. At the present time the board is negotiating with the local authorities in Dunedin with a view to bringing about an improvement in the road surfaces for this town. The Hawke's Bnv County Council lias made application to the board for Hie payment of the preferential subsidy towards the cost of completing the surface treatment nf the road between Napier and Hastings. The Waitaki Conntv Council has renuested Hie board to approve a more liberal subside towards the cost of surface treating the road between Oamaru and Pukeuri.