HOW PETROL TAX WILL BE SPENT.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 28 February 1928, Page 6

HOW PETROL TAX WILL BE SPENT.

WELLINGTON Last Night. Following closely in the wake of the declaration as main highways of 185 miles of streets through smaller boroughs, a Gazette notice will shortly appear declaring the 2,600 miles -of secondary roads in counties selected by the Main Highways Board at its last meeting. The allocation of the revenue derived from the petrol tax provides for the distribution of 25 per cent, for assistance to counties on secondary roads of which ,as already announced, a total length of 2000 miles is to bo erected as soon as these secondary highways are declared. The local authorities will receive a subsidy on maintenance. At present no such subsidy is payable. Until such time, however, as the Board is in a position to know wiiat the proceeds from the petrol tax will bo and also what expenditure is involved in the maintenance of the secondary highways system it will not bo possible to subsidise construction works on those highways. With the amount allocated under the heading of "main highways adjacont to the larger centres of population. 25 per cent.,” it is intended that heavy traffic roads in counties near the larger centres will be sur-face-treated and where circumstances justify it the Board will in all probability grant a preferential subsidy up to perhaps, in special cases, £3 for £1 towards the cost of such bettor class of pavement. In pursuance of this policy the Board a short time ago approved a payment of a £3 for £1 subsidy to the Waimairi County Council near Christchurch and Chainey’s corner. Christchurch towards the cost of constructing a bettor type of pavement between Christchurch and Chaincy’s corner. Specifications have been prepared for this work and tenders wall close on March 1. » In Wanganui the Board has approved a £2 for £l subsidy towards the surface treatment of the main highway southwards from Wanpanul as far as Wangaehu. In Dunedin at the present time the Board is negotiating with • local authorities in the city with a view, to bringing about an improvement in the road surface for this town. The Hawke’s Bay County has made application to the Board for the payment of the perferential subsidy towards the cost of completing the surface treatment of the* road beween Napier and Hastings. In the South the Waitaki County Council has requested the Board to approve a more liberal subsidy towards the cost of surface-treating the road between Oamaru and Pukeriri.