COUNTY ROAD UPKEEP.

Shannon News, 2 June 1922, Page 4

COUNTY ROAD UPKEEP.

A GROWING PROBLEM

In moving the adoption of the Treasurer’s report at the annual meeting of thei Horowhenua County Council on Wednesday, the chairman stated that the time had come when it was necessary to raisei the expenditure on the maui road. In his own riding and WiroKino as well, there had been a good deal of sub-division of properties anu this meant more roads to serve the settlers. In Te Horo there were ten miles more roads than there were $ lew years ago. Settlers naturally produced more and this produce had to be carried over the roads on narrow tyres which necessitated additional upkeep. The same, thing had occurred in Wirokino owing to new settlement. Were the settlers in a position to pay the demand for extra revenue made by the Council to maintain these roads? lie quoted the Gear Estate in the Te Horo Hiding, where a. few years back there were two or three families and to-day there were 50 settlers all milking anu carrying on steady traffic over the ruuds. The Chairman then referred to the condition of the main roads and considered that it would be good policy to raise a loan to deal with at least portion of the; main roads. The position was bad in the County but acute in the Wirokino Riding. The roads there had not been well built and it was costly to get metal to them. The present was not an opportune time to get money by loan, but other counties were getting some and he did not see why their County should not. The Councillors would remember that the Main Highways Bill was snelved last ! session, but a Conference was to be held shortly between the executive of the Counties Association, representatives of the Public Works Department, the Good Roads Association and the Automobile Association in regard to roads administration and the disposal of the tyre tax, etc. He was of opinion that the tyre tax would ultimately go to the Consolidated Fund. The way the Government should assist counties such as theirs was to increase the subsidy m oy way of Government grants. There v, -re lew counties on all fours with Ifm'owiienua in its geographical position, and consequent heavy upkeep U imeu the County m asking the Govern; ;eut lor assistance. The Counties a .ion proposed asking for an increase u. nom 5/ to 10/ in the Government rate subsidy, but the Chairman maintained tha: this should be paid on the mileage ui main roads through the cuiiuiies. Expenditure would have to watcheu very cJosely this year in order io come out witn a clean sheet at the end of next March. The practice oi employing roadmen a lew extra days here and there would have to stop in order to reduce expenditure. The collection of rates on Government lands was a difficult problem and he thought the counties sho-' uld combine and make a. demand for returned soldier settlers’ rates, which in many instances were overdue. Returned soldiers in many cases had taken up land at high values and were having a struggle, but. they were carting their milk over the county roads and cutting them up. What that had cost in this community he did not know, but it must be a large sum. In some districts there were no such difficulties, but the ratepayers in general should not be asked to bear the whole burden of road upkeep whilst others escaped. Where the Government had monies coming from soldiers they saw that they got paid out of the soldiers’ milk cheques and in one case the speaker knew of the whole cheque was taken by the Department. Alter a close study of the work done in the office he could say it was done well although it was increasing. That* also applied to the work of the Engi-1 neer. It was difficult and meant more j office work when the rates were not j coming in well and there was a lot | to do in the adjustment of the special j rates owing to the new valuation. Un- j der the new valuation the County wo- j uld not collect a much larger amouut. Touching on the Estimates, the Chairman said the figures would speak for themselves, hut after having been through the County lately he did riot think the Estimates were framed too liberally. To give an idea of the increased expenditure which the County was being called upon to bear , he quoted the riding estimates of the years 5 1918-19 and 1922-23 to show what this J meant: f

The Chairman pointed out that work on bridges was responsible tor some, of the proposed expenditure in this year’s estimates, but this was not recurring. The district roads, too, were carrying much more traffic and most of it on narrow tyres. From the estimates, however, councillors would see the position that faced the County, maintenance of a fairly high giflHfl

rate to meet increased expenditu^J

road upkeep. Before concluding, the Chairman referred to the excellent report that was again placed before the Council by Mr Goldsmith, the Treasurer. These reports contained a lot of valuable information to Councillors who had now got the habit of looking forward annually to them. (The report will be published in a future issue).

Cr Harkness, in seconding the motion, said this was the most serious stage the County had ever gone through. Revenue had not come up to expectations and in his opinion the present state of their roads was due to the lack of policy in the past. Roads were getting worse and rates were rising higher, and the County should call a halt and evolve a new policy—better roads and lower rates. That convinced him a loan was the only thing to alter the position so far as Wirokino was concerned, and he suggested that the. Engineer draw up an estimate for putting the main road in condition. A way would have to be devised for the payment of the interest. The Chairman: The ratepayers would have to pay a special rate on that loan.

Cr Harkness referred to The tyre tax which he thought should be paid to the County for expenditure on roads. He also advocated, under present conditions, the use of toll gates for revenue purposes in Wirokino riding.

The Chairman: You can’t have the tyre tax and toll gate too. Cr Harkness: The tyre tax belongs to the counties and not to ffie Government Regarding the toll gate suggestion, these could be let by tender, giving the tenderers an income and an as sured return to the County. The question was would the Government give the right to erect toll gates. The Automobile people would raise objection, but- they used the county roads and should pay some ,of 'the upkeep. Toil gates were used in Taranaki and there was no objection to them there. He considered about £SOO a year could be derived from three toll gate.s in Wirokino, which would go a long way in palying the interest on a loan to put the main roads in order. Cr. Ryder considered it a disgrace that the Government did not pay rates on land held by soldiers. He consdered Cr. Harkness was on the right track in his suggestions, and the time was coming when improved road surfaces would have to he adopted, and referred to the portion of, tar-sealed work done at Tei Horo. Estimates should be prepared by the Engineer for such work on a larger scale. Touching on toll gates, he thought these should not affect local traffic but through traffic.

Cr. Broadbelt touched on the ,\Viro-1 kino roads, and said the traffic made j upkeep a very heavy burden. If they got the ratepayers’ consent to a loan it. would save upkeep in the long run. He thought motorists would not object j to toll gates,, but the neighbouring j counties would want a share. If they j got an equitable portion of the tyre j tax it would be a good thing. A loan j proposal was well worth considering. Cr. McLeavey stated that even il they raised a riding loan the ordinary rate would have to be struck. At present the county did not know what the Government was going to do in road j maintenance matters. It may give a | larger grant. !

The chairman, in reply, referring to

tar-sealed roads, said the cost was somewhere about £BOO or £IOOO a mile, and there would be maintenance as. well. The rate would have to be struck whether a loan was raised or not. If the county tar-sealed its roads

and raised a loan for the purpose, the Minister could come along afterwards

and take the road and leave the loan on the county. He had favoured toll gates at one time, but did not think

them necessary if they got justice through the tyre tax. If the county adopted toll gates, there was nothing to prevent Hutt, Manawatu and any other county doing the same. How would they like to have to traverse 20 or 30 toll gates in running through to Auckland by road? Cr. Broadbelt asked if their county could get representation on the conference which the chairman had referred to. The chairman said he had no doubt if a request was made it would receive attention.

It was decided to write and ascertain if representation could be secured..

The motion for the adoption of the treasurer’s report was then carried.

1918-19 1923-23 £ £ Tokomaru Riding .. 1785 3570 Wiroltino Riding .... 4495 6700 Otaki Riding 1800 2685 (£500 main road) Te Horo Riding 1720 2820