MAIN HIGHWAYS BILL AMENDMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3853, 4 October 1928, Page 2

MAIN HIGHWAYS BILL AMENDMENT.

REMOVAL OF ADVANCES LIMIT. Wellington, October 2. Hon. K. S. Williams in the House moved the second reading of the Main Highways Amendment Bill. In doing so, he explained that under the Main Highways Act of 1922, the Board was authorised to contribute up to one-third of the cost of the maintenance and repair of main highways and up to one-half of the cost of construction and reconstruction of roads, the local bodies concerned being required to find the remainder of the cost in both cases. The powers of the Board to make additional contributions to the cost of works were extended in subsequent legislation arid it was now suggested that the restrictions should be removed altogether in the Bill. The proposal is that the Board may undertake all works of struction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of any main highway, without any contribution from any local authority, or it may give a greater subsidy than is now permissible. It is suggested in the Bill that these proposals shall have retros r peetive effect and that the Board may refund to local authorities in respect of work done since April 1 of this year, amounts paid in excess of the proportion of the cost fixed by the Board under the Bill. Another proposal is that the limit of £50,000 imposed on the Board with respect to advances to local authorities for main highways work, shall be removed. The Board is also to be empowered to spend funds on combined railway and road bridges used as part of a main highway. The Bill generally was commended by Messrs R. H. G. Mason (Eden), Jones (Marsden), Buddo ancl Horn. After the Minister had briefly replied, the Bill was read a second time.