UPKEEP OF ROADS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5238, 13 February 1928, Page 2

UPKEEP OF ROADS.

CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL. ALL SHOULD SHARE THE BURDEN. The question of adequately maintaining main highways in boroughs: was introduced at Thursday night’s meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council by the request of the Green Island Borough Council, South Otago, for support of a remit which had been forwarded to the annual conference jL of the N.Z. Municipal AssociationThe remit read:— “That the present law relating to , construction, reconstruction and maintenance of highways be amended so as; to enable the Main Highways Board to take over and be wholly responsible for the main arterial roads x in the Dominion, with a view to coping with present and future traffic requirements.” In a covering letter the Green.

Island Borough Council wrote :—

“After careful consideration by the council the conclusion aas Leen arrived at that, in its opinion, coping with present day traffic is no longer a problem for individual local bodies, but is essentially a national problem. The statement applied more particu-. larly to the smaller boroughs, voonwhich the reconstruction and taiatenance has become a burden) which is increasing year by year, despite the assistance which some receive in the shape of subsidies from the Main Highways Board. 'With the passing of the Main Highways Act and the setting up of the board it was anticipated that the burden of reconstructing and maintaining the main highways would be lifted frdm local authorities. The policy of the board, however, lias been merely to subsidise reconstruction and maintenance work, and this involves considerable expenditure if any permanent success is to be achieved. Members of councils are reluctant to saddle their ratepayers with an expenditure which goes towards maintaining highways.” x Cr. J. W. Silcock said it was a good suggestion if. it could materialise. The Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) said ihero was no doubt th it lhe burden on small boroughs was increasing ; yet at the same time he did not think the whole cost should be placed on the Dominion. He was cf the opinion that ratepayers should be prepared to shoulder a portion of the cost. Some allowance should also be made j for through traffic and local traffic. Ct Edwards said :r appeared as, if a number of counties were applying to have roads declared main highways which were in nb sense main highways. There were instances of such ia this district. It looked as, if a large sum from the petrol tax would be eaten up in work on' what were subsidiary roads. AH the same, he’ believed the remit was a step in the right direction, and he moved that it be supported. Seconded by Cr. Silcock and canned.