ROAD LOANS.

Shannon News, 10 August 1923, Page 1

ROAD LOANS.

ANl> OTHER COUNTY MATTERS. WELLINGTON, Last Night. At the Counties’ Conference, Mr. A. H. Long, Mangonui, moved that provision be made by the Government to sudsidise local bodies on loan expenditure on road work. He stated that what was wanted was. a £ for £ subsidy on loans for road work. Several members considered the Government would not authorise loans if it was compelled to pay £ for £ sub. sidles. The mover replied that such a full subsidy might not be asked for. The chairman said the county which was moving would defeat its own claims by putting every county on the same footing. The remit was withdrawn:"'

The Conference affirmed th e principle of auctioneers’ fees going to hospital boards instead of to local bodies. Rangitikei brought forward a remit suggesting the setting up of a committee executive to scrutinise all proposed legislation and regulations. Mr. B, P. Lethbridge, Marton, said a large aniount of legislation passed had been somewhat crude. He point, ed out that the real difficulty was that legislation was before the House before anyone outside knew anything about it.—-The matter was left to the executive.

In connection with county boundaries Waimairi (Mr. R. W. Hawke) forwarded a remit that alterations should not.be made except at definite periods of five years, and that where boundar. ies were altered they should exte.nd along some road, watercourse - ‘or other natural boundary.—The remit was eventually withdrawn, and replaced by a motion asking the Goverr* ment to remove the disabilities under which local bodies at present suffer.' ' The principle of making a road a boundary was objected to on the ground that it made dual control of the road necessary.' This was undesirable.