MAIN HIGHWAYS BILL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4333, 21 October 1921, Page 1 (Supplement)

MAIN HIGHWAYS BILL.

OHINEMURI ATTITUDE. COUNCIL’S VIEWS EMPHASISED. Fpllbwing up the recent protest by his Council against the opposition of the Counties’ Association to .the Main Highways Bill, Mr R. W, Evans, clerk of the Ohinemuri County Council, has /dispatched the following letter on be--1 half of the Council to the secretary of the N.Z. Counties’ Association: "Further to my wire' off, the Bth inst. in reply t.d your letter of the 30th niton the abpve' subject. “As ' already stated, the Council could not support the resolution carried a,t the meeting of] the Conference, as it has always consistently advocated the maintenance and control by t.he Government of all main arterial roads throughout the Dominion. It is strongly of opinion that until this principle is accepted no satisfactory system of main roads will ever obtain, as 80 per cent; of the traffic on such roads is ‘ through traffic,’ and it, is manifestly unfair that the upkeep of these*' roads should fall on the local body through whose territory the road passes. Apart from this aspect of rhe matters, it would be almost impossible 'to secure, underlocal control 1 , any approach to uniformity in the system of roads Construction, as each local body would be restricted by the funds it - had available for the purpbse, and the diversity of opinion of the various Councils as to . the best material flor . road making would result in a patchwork system being adopted instead of one uniform plan. “My Council recognises that the proposed Bill 'as at .present dr;awn is not perfect, and could be amended in various ways with advantage. In the making of any great reform such as this mistakes in, the first' stages are inevitable, but it feels that it is a great step forward t.o have the principle affirmed that the main arterial roads of the Dominion are essentially in the> care of the Government? equally with the railways; 'Although this. County will not be directly benefited by the taking over of the roads which ■ it is understood are to be first taken control of by the Government; it recognises that the principle, having once been accepted, it is l only a matter. of time till the whole of the arterial roads in every district will be •so controlled. In support of the. statement in my telegram, to the .effect that this Council does not p think that tjfe resolution of the Conference represents the views of* the County Councils of the Dominion, I am instructed to say that a year or two ago this Council', by circular, asked for the opinion of every county council in the Dominion upon the matter 'of control of,main roads., and an overwhelming majority of the councils favoured Government control.”