THE HIGHWAYS BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1921, Page 2

THE HIGHWAYS BILL.

ITS MAIN POINTS. (Our Parliamentary Reporter.) The Main Highways Bill was introduced in the House by Vice-Regal message.- The Leader of the Opposition asked whether it was the same Bill as had been submitted to the Counties Conference. The Minister for Public Works (Hon. J. G. Coates} replied that it was the same Bill in principle. The portion which named certain roads had been eliminated. The measure is of 16 clauses, and is to come into force on April 1,. 1922. The portion dealing with tlie delineation lays it down that the Governor-General may from time to time, by Order in Council, declare any public highway, whether then actually constructed or not, to be a main highway within the meaning of the Act and subsequently in a similar manner define its lines. In so doing it shall not be obligatory to accept the lines of any existing highway. The usual safeguards are provided for this course, such as power to alter or revoke any order, while it is also provided that in the definition of the highway shall be included the land on which it is constructed, and all bridges, culverts,, ferries, fords, and oilier road works. Every road from the time when it becomes a main highway becomes a Government road within the meaning of tlie Public Works Act 1908.

A Main Highways Board is to be constituted for the purpose of the measure. It is to consist of the engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department,, chairman. two other engineers on the of the Department to be appointed by the Governor-General and to hold office during' his pleasure, and two other persons to be appointed by the GovernorGeneral on the recommendation of the Minister and to hold office during the pleasure of the Governor-General. The power and duties of the Board are defined in some detail. It is to have sole power of construction maintenance repair and control of all main roads and for that purpose all powers vested in the Governor-General and the Minister with respect to Government roads under the present law are to be transferred to the board. For this purpose it may hire from any local body any equipment required ta do any wofik on behalf of that local body which in its turn is given the right to hire the apparatus /to the Board. Further it may agree with any local body that the latter shall carry out for it any road work that may be convenient to treat in this way. Two special accounts in the public account are to be created under the bill, Gne to be called the revenue account and the other the construction accouht. Into the revenue account -is to be paid: (1) All money appropriated by Parliament out of the Consolidated Fund for the purposes of main highways. (2) All money received by the Crown under any Act as customs duties on motor-tyres. , (3) All money received by the Crown from the licensing of motor vehicles. The purposes to which the revenue account are to be applied, as appropriated by (Parliament, are the maintenance repair and control of main highways, compensation payable under the Workers’ Compensation Act for accidents in connection with main h igh ways,Hhe purchase and hire of machinery and other appliances for main highways, and the expenses' of the Highways Board, together with other administrative expenses generally.

The construction account is to consist of all loan money borrowed for the purposes of main highways. Parliamentary appropriations out of the Public Works Fund for the same purpose, and money transferred from revenue account. Out of the constructions account the payments are to be for the construction and reconstruction of main highways, and to meet claims under the Public Horks Act for land acquired in connection with any main highway. The Board is to prepare a report for the Minister at the end of each financial year and this report is to be laid before Parliament .in the ordinary way.