WEST COAST ROAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 840, 7 December 1929, Page 6

WEST COAST ROAD

MOTORISTS DISCUSS REPAIR COSTS WILL BE NATIONAL BURDEN Press Association DUNEDIN, Today. The question of the restoration of roads affected on the West Coast by the earthquake in June was discussed at the quarterly meeting of the South Island Motor Union yesterday. The president, Mr. A. E. Ansell, M.P., referred to a statement made some time ago that the highways fund was to bear the whole expense of reconditioning the West Coast roads. The coat of restoration was then estimated at from £250,000 to £500,000. These figures were regarded by motorists with some concern. A resolution protesting against this drain on the highways fund was passed at a previous meeting of the union. Mr. Ansell said he discussed the matter with the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, during the session of Parliament and had a question ready to ask in the House. The Minister asked Mr. Ansell to defer the matter in order that he might discuss it with the Cabinet. Mr. Ansell complied with the request and had since been notified by Mr. Ransom that the Cabinet had decided to bear portion of the cost. The actual proportion to be borne by the Cabinet had not been decided. Mr. Dobson a Canterbury delegate to the union, said a motorist who had recently been through the district affected by the earthquake had stated that the work of restoration would be comparatively easy. A suggestion was made by Mr. Halliday, of Otago, that a considerable portion of the cost of restoration should he met by the Consolidated Fund and that the Highways Fund should not bo required to provide more than 25 per cent. Mr. Furness, of Marlborough, was of opinion that as the reetoration of the West Coast roads was a matter of national importance a considerable proportion of the cost should be borne by the Consolidated Fund. It was decided to suggest to the Minister that restoration of the roads was a matter of national consideration.