Highways Board Has Debit Balance

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 586, 12 February 1929, Page 8

Highways Board Has Debit Balance

CHAIRMAN EXPLAINS

NO SURPLUS FUNDS

Far from being in a pojiti where it can put its hand in it. pocket and produce money t or any new work, the Main High ways Board is committed to spend considerably more than it Cln place its hands on.

This was the news conveyed by the chairman, Mr. A. E. Jull, when he summarised the position of the board to the Auckland Automobile Association yesterday afternoon.

“We have heard up and down the country—and it seems to be the gea eral opinion—that the board's financial position is so affluent that we car embark on any scheme without he,!' tation,” said Mr. Jull.

“Actually, the position is quite otherwise. The total in the rerenue and construction account of the boani is £1,142,973. We have alreaib issued authorisation for work, both maintenance and construction, amount ing to £1,365,457, so that there is a shortage in our accounts of £222,414 on those figures. We do not expec these authorisations all to be taken up before March 31, but they hare been made, and we must have th* money ready.

“I grant you that we have authority to borrow something like £70,000 because this year we have borrowed only £229,000 against our usual appropriation of £300,000. In add; tion, there was a transfer of £3CO,Ww from the revenue account for which we have authority to borrow to repay when the Treasury is prepared to give us that assistance.

“You will probably think that the board may be to blame in not cop. tradicting some of the rumours that have been prevalent. There are amounts aggregating £50,000 Btlll u> be transferred from the Public Works accounts into ours, in addition to petrol-tax paid, but not yet handed to us, amounting to £87,784, or a total of £137,784. “Considering the finances in the manner we are due to, we are £85.00 short, even taking into account the amounts I have just mentioned. “People have been here to-da; thinking there was a peak right «p to the two-million mark, and they were prepared to explore it to the top. “Auckland provides about a fifth of the revenue, and is a most importair. centre, but let me say to you that the works we have in hand in this district, particularly between Auckland and Maungaturoto, exceed any road undertaking that has ever been undertaken in New Zealand. We hate 600 men working with 90 horses sod 36 lorries, in addition to other equipment.

“It must be remembered that in addition to that we are snowed up with applications for grants and subsidies. Some of the applications disclose particulars about settlers that almost make you weep to hear them—and you have to turn them down. "That gives you some idea of the roading problem.”