HIGHWAYS BOARD

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1929, Page 8

HIGHWAYS BOARD

'• —; STATEMENT BY MINISTER, Per Press Association— By Electrn I elegraph-MJopyright). DANNEVIRKE, Sept. 9. Reference to the Highways Board’s' programme for the current year was made b\* Hon E. A. Ransom (Minister of Public'-Work's)-;to .'an “Evening News” representative. “The Main Highway Board’s plan of works for the coming year,” he said, “will be greater than for any previous year in the history of the Dominion. At the present time the number employed by the Highway Board on construction work was 3600. It .is proposed to expend on construction work this year, £1,050,000, and it is also propqsed to expend a million in maintenance. Altogether, with the assistance of local bodies, no less than two and a-half millions will be expended. 1 If this year’s programme is carried out, it will mean absorbing the £650,000 now held in reserve. As soon as the works are in full swing in the summer, it is hoped that 5000 men will be employed on highways.” Regarding £200,000 in the Public Works Department, the Minister added that the Main Highways Board would have the right to use this money, but instead of it being Free as previously, the Board would require to pay interest for it. In view of the Highways Board having a surplus of £660,000, the Government felt that the Board was in a better position to pay interest than the Government, as the latter had to take over a deficit of £577,000 from the previous administration.