The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, NOV. 2nd, 1922. MAIN HIGHWAYS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, NOV. 2nd, 1922. MAIN HIGHWAYS

Tiik i\l«iii Highways Hill has been on tile stocks for a good time in fulfilment of Government promises, but it was not till the dying hours of the session, just before the general election that the Government permitted the measure to go through. In its form the highway legislation is hut an instalment of what was promised, and to that extent has been described Its but half a bill. The measure as far as it goes provides fob the setting up of a Main Highways Board, the duty of which is to make a classification of “primary” and “.:crondary” roads. It most submit a report on the subject “within twelve months.” It is not likely that it will submit a report inside the next five weeks, so the policy stays suspended in mid-aid, so to speak, awaiting the result o'f the election. The really debatable and controversial part of the policy belongs to a second instalment, which is to he brought down after the storm and stress of a general election has subsided—alway# provided that thb present Government is still the Government—under the tide of the “Motor Vehicles Bill,” which will provide for new taxes. In the Upper House, the ; Legislative Council very properly made provision for lh<* inclusion of local body representatives on the Board to lie set up. The Board will he mainly governmental, and it would appear will he also the genesis of another Department—something akin to the Brads Department of yore. With the Board will rest the responsibility of defining what are to he the main highways. This, of course, is the most important phase of the whole question. At fho outset “arterial” roads running from the North C'ape to Bluff were deemed to he main highways and it would appear that many important roads, feeders of the through loading of the country were to lio overlooked. 'Presumably the task of the Board now to lie set up will he to go into this and other aspects of the matter. Tn the original schedule to the first bill brought down, the “main highway” in Westland County was to stop short at Hokitika, so that- under that proposal the great south road would be cut out fiom flic benefit of any road scheme. When fho Board sets about its task it will he necessary for the local bodies to watch their interests and to see that local claims in respect to main or principally used roads are kept well to the front. Seine of the criticism passed oil the subject is of interest as reviewing the policy, or rather kick of policy generally. of the Government. The Lyttelton "Times” for instance remarked: “Tile only good thing which this Government has produced has Icon Mr Coates’s premise to reform the Public Works system and this matter of main highways is the sole remnant of that promise upon which his colleagues have shown an inclination to allow him to proceed. Now. apparently, it is fell that this one evidence of statesmanship. looming up large, even in its vaporous state against the sunken debris of wasted opportunities, is too im- | pressive to he discarded as an electioneering asset. The first instalment of the policy comes down in ;|ie dying hours of a pro-election session, and the rest can wait till the verdict is delivered. Wo arc genuinely sorry, hut it the Government Party prole is to go to the electors yet once again with promises in place of fulfilments with proffered bribes in the place of gifts that is its business.