THE HIGHWAYS BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1922, Page 8

THE HIGHWAYS BILL.

SOME TARANAKI VIEWS. DISCUSSED BY COUNTY COUNCILS. TO GOVERNMENT. The proposed Main Highways Bill came under discussion at yesterdays conference of the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association at Eltbam. Following a confidential discussion on the Bill, Mr. C. J. Belcher said he thought the Government subsidy to the general rate should be increased. For thirty-five years, he said the Government subsidy had been 5s in the £1 on a basis of a rate up to 3d in the £. This subsidy was paid by the Government as compensation for the damage done by travellers who paid no rates. This principle had been approved and re-approved by the counties. During the last thirty-five years the rates had gone up very considerably to maintain the roads at the required standard, and yet the subsidy had not been increased. The counties with poor roads received the same subsidy as those counties which rated themselves highly "and built good roads. Mr. J. S. Connett said other portions of the Dominion woirfd have to be dealt with differently to Taranaki. If they were considering the Bill from a Taranaki point of view they would have to consider it from a view that might not suit the rest of the Dominion. Mr. T. McPhißips said the Main South Road, from Hawera right round the coast to New Plymouth, carried more heavy traffic than the road from Wellington to New Plymouth. A large portion of this road was tar-sealed, and was in good order, but it was made out of loan money. It would be a great hardship to the counties on this road if they contributed tax and got nothing in return. OBJECT OF TYRE TAX. Mr. O. J. Hawken, M.P.. pointed out that the proposed tyre tax was not ratepayers’ money, but motorists* money. The whole object of the Bill was to cope with the new style of motor traffic, and the motorist had the right to say that the money should be spent on motor roads. He did not think that the money could be used as subsidy. It would have to be ear-marked for a special purpose. If Taranaki received its share of the tax a board could allocate it to the counties equitably over a period of years. It would be found that, there was not much difference in the amount of money that would ho required for the main road in the ten different counties in Taranaki. The question of defining the main roads in Taranaki would probably not be interfered with by the department.

Mr. M. O’Brien claimed that the Main South Road, from Hawera to New Plymouth via Opunake was as much an arterial road as any in the Dominion. He had been instructed by I:<r council to slate that if it was not intended to include the Main South Road as an arterial road the Egrpont Council could not ask the Government to do anything Mr. Hawken explained that the proposal to increase the subsidy on general rates was quite outside, and no part of the Highways Bill. that Taranaki would receive about one-ninth of the whole available money from the tvre tax. or about £30.000. He thought that the money should be allocated in the different groups according to the rates collected. Mr. Connett said he had in view the proposal to have a representative board in Taranaki for the allocation of the money. Mr. Hawken submitted a number ot questions which, he sa ; d. would cover the contentions of the Bill, and he asked for approval or otherwise.

POINTS ANSWERED. The questions, with the answers given, were as follows: (1.) Whether it is in the best interests of an improved roads policy for the Government to subsidise the county rates without making an effort to concentrate on any specified road or roads? No. (2.) Would the proposal to allocate further Government, moneys to groups of counties be workable? —Yes. (3.) If so on what basis should the moneys be distributed between the different groups?—On the basis of all rates collected, including special rates. (4.) Who should control, within each group, the allocation of the moneys to the roads that may be decided upon from time to time —Left to the Government. (5.) Should roads already brought up to the standard with a permanent surface be the first charge on the moneys available to each group and to what extent?—lt was decided to request the Government to pay interest on one-half of the value of tar-sealing the roads already brought up to standard and coming under the highway board, and onehalf of the cost of future maintenance. In the case of macadam roads, it was decided to suggest that the Government pay half the cost of permanent surfacing by loan and half the cost of future maintenance.

Should each county within a group contribute to the amount necessary to bring the roads decided upon in such county up to the required standard and what should the contribution he?-—Dis-cussing this question. Mr. Hawken suggested that the counties should contribute half of the cost of building and maintenance of roads up to the required standard. The Government money would not. he sufficient to do the whole work, and a contribution of one-half would expedite the work. The question of free grants to roads should be left to the Government.

(7.) Should the moneys contributed by the Government be considered as part of the general"fund of each county benefiting?—No: it should be paid into a separata account. (8.) Should it be decided to raise loans to expedite the improvement of the roads in any group, would the loans be raised by the county concerned ?—Yes. (9.) Should town boards, boroughs, etc.. be allocated any moneys, and if so how much? —It was decided that the allocation to these bodies should be on a basis of the cost of roads outside the borough or town board boundary. (10.) Should the present subsidy be retained and altered to be a subsidy on rates collected ?—Yes.