“LESS THAN JUST”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20030, 31 August 1939, Page 6

“LESS THAN JUST”

COUNTIES’ REJOINDER

CRITICISM BY MINISTER

CO-OPERATION CLAIMED

(Per Press Association.) TIMARU, this day. Mr. C. J. Talbot, President of the New Zealand Counties' Association, in a statement issued last night, said: “‘The Minister of Transport, tthe Hon. R. Semple, when introducing the Transport Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives on Tuesday evening, is reported to have stated that the county councils do nothing to maintain the safety on the highways. "This statement is far too sweeping in its character, and will be regarded by the county councils as both unfair and unwarranted. For many years, in the rural areas, the councils were the only policing authorities on the roads. Later, when the traffic-con-trolled routes were set up under the Main Highways Board, the counties paid their share of traffic inspection costs, while many of them in addition still retain their own officers.

“Still more recently, traffic control was centralised with the Transport Department, but notwithstanding that local control has been completely abandoned, the counties have always assisted in the erection of warning road-signs. Lessening of Dangers

"Road v safety occupies a leading place in the road-improvement work now being carried out on both highways and county roads. Dangerous corners are being eliminated, formations are being widened, grades and curves are being improved, and oneway bridges are being replaced by more modern structures. Shingle roads are being paved as rapidly as possible, mainly in order to eliminate the dust nuisance, and in some cases before the work can be justified by the principles of road economies. "Many of these works are being paid for wholly out of revenue. In other instances, rates are being pledged for years to cover the loan charges. The counties have endeavoured to co-operate with both the Minister of Transport and the National Road Safety Council, in the attempt to make the roads safer for all kinds of traffic

“The loss of drivers’ license fees Will hamper the work of counties in this respect, and will throw a further burden on the already overburdened rural ratepayers. It is felt that the Minister is less than just in his verdict that the counties do nothing to maintain safety on the highways.” .