SOUTHERN ROADS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1930, Page 2

SOUTHERN ROADS

CANTERE UR Y CRISIC'ISM RESENTED.

WELLINGTON, May 8,

The Canterbury Progress League’s criticism of the main highways policy which has been widely published, is resented by those concerned.

They declare that it is a serious misrepresentation of the position to stake that a' large unexpected credit balance in favour of he South Island exists in the highways account. The real position, it,is said, is that for several years after the inauguration of the main highways system, with its national basis of finance, great 'difficulty was found in getting most of the South Island local bodies to provide the proportion of expenditure necessary for road improvements. Unlike the North Island, which readily raised loans to secure its proportion of the Main Highways funds, the southern authorities took the opposite view and the southern portion of the fund accumulated for lack of approved plans for expenditure.

However, the Main Highways Board adopted special means to meet the southern position, and made advances from its account to the extent of local bodies proportion of expenditure, subsidised by the Highways Board. These advances are being repaid. The long delay in getting effective action in the South Island enabled plans to be prepared in the most systematic way and .contrary to the view of the Canterbury. Progress League, road improvement has been better organised •in the South , Island than, in the North, one feature, being the- provision of a permanent surface ;for the whole of the main highway from Picton to Bluff, many sections of which have been completed.