The Highways Bill.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1922, Page 4

The Highways Bill.

AVELIINGION, Oct. 22 Tlio Highways Hill provides that the Governor-General by Order-in-Counoil may from time to time define main highways within the meaning and for the purposes of the Act. In so defining the lines of any main highway it is, however, provided that it is not necessary to accept the lines of any existing public highway. Orders-in-(,'otincil defining highways are to come into force on the date fixed hy the order ; but not in any ease before April Ist, 1924. The Board is to hold office for three years and is to be composed as follows: One member (who may he an officer of the Public Works Department or of any other Department of State or any other person) to be appointed ns the chairman of the Board, one. member being ah officer of the Public Works Department, one member t® he appointed with the approval of the Minister of Public Works on the recommendation of the executive body of the New Zealand Counties Association, and one member to be appointed with flic approval of the Minister of Public Works as representative of persons being owners. Members of the Hoard who are not servants of the frown arc to be paid fees and allowances , in be proscribed from time to time. 41:0 Board is to have power to divide New Zealand into a number of highways districts as it thinks fit, geographical situation and community of interest being considered. Each highway district will have a local board constituted as follows: —An engineer being an officer of flic Public Works Department, and one person to bo appointed on Hie recommendation of each county council whose district is wholly or partly within the highway district. The local committee may appoint not more than three of its members as an executive body with power to act in all tilings for the committee.

POWERS OF MATX BOARD. An important, clause deals with the power of the Main Highways Board. Tt provides that the Board shall have the sole powers of construction, reconstruction, improvement, maintenance, repair, and control of all main highways under this Act. mid for that purpose the powers, rights, duties, end liabilities vested in or imposed on Ihe Governor-General or the Minister of Public Works (in the case of Government roads), or vested in or imposed on any local authority (in the case of highways other than Government roads), are iii the case of main highways transferred to and vested in or imposed on the Hoard, provided tout tire powers hereby conferred on the Board or any such powers may with respect to any mam highway or portion of a main highway to he delegated by the Board to the local authority in whose district the main highway or

portion aforesaid is situated, and cm any such delegation the local authority shall in respect of such main highway or portion thereof have, the runicpowers, rights, duties, and liabilities

as the Board would have if such delegation had not been made, provided iilsu that nothing in this section shall he deemed to divest the corporation of any borough of the property in any street that may form part of a main highway. Highways are to he classified as primary or secondary highways, and tli-' Heard is to determine a standard with reference to their respective construction. Local committees are to submit annual roreinmendntioiN and estimates to the Hoard. FINANCIAL PROVISIONS.

!l is provided that the Minister of Finance m u- borrow 93.000,001) for the construction of main highways.

There is to he :i revenue fund nml :i construction fund. All money approprinted l>v Parliament out of the Consolidated Fund for the purposes of main highways, being not loss in any year than C1i0.00.0, are to lie credited to the revenue fund. Customs duties on tyres and etc. and license fees are also to be credited to this fund. Into the revenue fund .there will lie paid: fa) Moneys payable by the Crown in respect of the maintenance, repair, and control of any highways; (b) all compensation or damages pnvable liv the Crown in respect of accidents or injuries in relation to any work the cost of which is chargeable to the revenue fund; fc) the cost of the ’ purchase or hire of machinery, plant, equipment, nijd appliances required for the purposes of main highways; fd) the interest, sinking fund, and other charges payable in respect of any loan raised by the Minister of Finance lor the purpose of tin’s Act; (e) all expenses in connexion with the operation of the Main Highways Hoard and, generally all other expenses lawfully payable by Ibe Crown in respect of the administration of this Act not being moneys payable out of llie construction fund. There shall he credited to the construction fund: fa) All moneys borrowed by the -Minister of Finance pursuant to the authority in that behalf conferred by this Act; (If) all moneys appropriated b.v Parliament out of the Public Works Fund for the purpose of main highways. being not less fn any year than the sum of £‘200,000, the first: such payment to lie made in and for the year commencing on April Ist, 1021 ; (e) all moneys lawfully transferred from the revenue fund to the construction fund, pursuant to the provision of this Act. Tn that behalf, clauses provide for the cost of repair and maintenance of main highways and the cost of construction or reconstruction of main highways in the proportions as explained by the Minister in his statement.. ,