HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 770, 17 September 1929, Page 16

HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE

RETROSPECTIVE PAYMENTS REJECTED MINISTERIAL STATEMENT When the Main Highways Board recently rejected an application by the various local bodies in the south suburban area for retrospective payments on the cost of construction of the Great South Road, in concrete, it was decided by the Papakura and Manurewa Town Boards to refer the question to the Government. A letter was received from the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, at last evening’s meeting of the Manurewa Town Boar-d, stating that actually there was little difference between what the local authorities regarded as a retrospective payment and an annual grant on interest and sinking fund charges. If a payment of any description were made the result would be the same, in that the interest and sinking fund charges in the future would actually bo decreased. In view of the fact, however, that the making of an annual grant by the Government to assist these local authorities in the payment of their annual charges would spread the assistance, if granted, over a period of years, he had given the question further consideration. He regretted that, after going thoroughly into the subject, the Government was unable, to accede to the. request of the Manurewa and Papakura Town Boards. The Minister expressed the opinion that the same difficulties would arise under this system, in that numerous local authorities throughout the Dominion would be entitle I to consideration, and it would be difficult to determine how far back the Government should go. As had been pointed out on previous occasions, the finances available for road construction and maintenance purposes were required for present and future requirements, and if any consideration whatever was to be made to local authorities for work done in the past, the whole question of road finance would have to be reviewed and taxation considerably increased.