TWO MILLIONS FOR HIGHWAYS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1929, Page 2

TWO MILLIONS FOR HIGHWAYS

The Prime Minister called attention to the General financial difficulty which he was endeavouring to adjust, pointing out that the process involved increased taxation. Surely, he asked the motorists could not be held inviolate, yet they would actually get for reading purposes this year more than last year. The Highways Board would get its £200,0(10 and the usual £35,000 transfer, and, with its balance and other funds, it would have nearly two millions for this year’s operations. It had been stated that there had been a curtailment, but what was the position ? The fact of the matter was i..at the amount placed at the disposal of the Highways Board this year was infinitely greater than last year’s No additional burden had been placed on motorists. All that the board was asked to do was to pay interest on the grant of £2j0,000. Was not that a reasonable thing? The interest on the sum would amount to about £II,OOO a year. Zealand was in a different position to-day from that of twelve months ago.

THE COMING LEGISLATION. “If you exercise ordinary patience and wait until the proposals of the Government are submitted to Parliament, then you will be in a position to judge whether motorists are being treated unfairly or not,’’ said Sir Joseph. “When the Government’s proposals come before Parliament, the fresh legislation dealing with transport problems will be brough clown at the same time. We are not taking over from the Highways Board the construe ion of roads in any way whatever. They go on as they went on the year before, but we are putting the whole of the motoring organisations in a position which I hope and believe' will be reasonable and acceptable to mose bodies. We have associated with the Minister of Transport men from ajl parts of New Zealand, representing

every section, and they are unanimous upon the tennis and conditions contained in the Motor Transport Bill, which has not yet received the final affirmation of the Government. When it does however, you \yill find that an honest effort has been made to deal iii a practical and common-sense way with motor transport problems. Tnstead of jumping at conclusions, wait until you see the proposals.

THE INTEREST PAYMENTS. The deputation concluded with an important discussion as to interest payments. The Prime Minister made it clear that of loan monej would be available as usual to the Highways Board, but whether the board would have to pay the interest which the Government must pay for this money would depend on the decision which he will- ma..e within the next few days. Mr Ansell reminded the Prime Minister of a statement he had made in the House which might, he said, convey the impression that the Government would collect arrears of interest from- the Highways Board. The Hon E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, put the question in another form, asking the Prime Minister if the position was that the Government did not intend to charge interest on past contributions from the Public Works Fund to the Highways Fund. Sir Joseph Ward agreed with his colleague that ther was no intention to charge interest on past grants.