HELP FOR LOCAL BODIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1920, Page 7

HELP FOR LOCAL BODIES.

EIRE OF MOTOR WAGONS, ( GOVERNMENT NOT FAVORABLE. ' Local bodies, owing to lack of funds, < sometimes find themselves considerably * handicapped as regards the purchase of 1 haulage plant to enable them to take « full advantage of the fine weather to ' push on with their road work. In order i to overcome this, the Clifton County i Council wrote to the Minister for Public j Works suggesting that the Government ; ■should consider iiie matter of providing motor vehU'ioi on hire to County Conn- j oils. At yesterday's meeting of the Council a Setter was received from the 1 Miuifltfii- :U.Uh:; that he had givon the |' matter florfciw consideration, A3 it j ■ would be weeedingly difficult to ep»ur.s ' ' that propar -.-.ire would be taken of the !* machines wiiea out of the Government'* !; control, and m they would probably be j left on th.' department's hands So-: & i | great parr, o:' the year, during which i they would p-.oduce no revenue, he was | afraid thai, the suggestion was not a i practicable one. j ' Cr. Musker thought the matter should j be pressed further, as it was not pos- i sible for the Council to purchase i wagons. ' Cr. Jones said this put tlie question j of metalling the Okau road out of court. ! If the Government wanted the Council j to assist them by metalling back-block ; roads, they should assist the Council, , and this was one way in which it could be done. The hire could be deducted from any subsidy, and the wagon would be in charge of the Government driver. The chairman pointed out that during a portion of the year the wagons would be on the Government's hands, and they were evidently looking at it from the point of view of a paying proposition, and not from the standpoint of local bodies. Cr. Jones said the Government in Australia managed the position all right. He was disappointed with the letter. The Government evidently expected local bodies to assist in production, whilst they stepped in and taxed. He suggested that instead of the Government providing £ for £ subsidy in certain districts it should provide motor wagons for the cartage and spreading of metal, and thus the counties would pay for the use of the motor wagons out of subsidy. The wagons could remain in the care of the Government's own motor men, and could be used most of the year, as when climatic conditions did not suit on the West Coast, they could be sent across to the East Coast, and so could be used most of the year. A letter embodying this proposal will be forwarded to the Minister.