The Daily News. SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1922. MOTORISTS AND ROAD UPKEEP.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1922. MOTORISTS AND ROAD UPKEEP.

Among the subjects discussed at the recent conference of the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association, the reading problem occupied a prominent place, connected therewith being the part that the owners of motor vehicles should play as regards contributing to the cost of roads suitable for their use. The matter would be very much more simple if all the roads throughout the Dominion had been constructed so as to stand the wear and tear of motor vehicles, but such is not the case, so that each district has its own conditions as to both road construction and maintenance. Some local bodies have raised fairly large loans for tar-sealed roads, while others have incurred no such expenditure, hence the difficulty of an equitable adjustment by means of new legislation in the direction of allocating contributions for road work either by the State, by motorists, or from ; other sources outside rates. The tendency is for each local body to regard this question chiefly from its own point of view, each hoping to obtain as much relief as possible from the heavy cost of motor traffic roads. Mr. O. J. Hawken, M.P., did good service by emphasising that the proposed tyre tax was not ratepayers’ money, but motorists’ money, and that its object was to cope with the new style of motor traffic, therefore motorists had the right to say that the money contributed by them by way of tyre tax should be spent on the motor roads. Logically that contention is unanswerable. Obviously roads suitable for carrying fast and heavy motor traffic must be costly to make. Before any permanent scheme of motor roads is undertaken, it would seem necessary to decide on the principle of road-making, especially in view of the complaint that the quality of tar is now so poor that a change is absolutely necessary. The Conference expressed its opinion that the proposal to allocate further Government moneys to groups of councils would be workable, if the distribution were made on the basis of all rates collected, including | special rates. No exception can, be taken to that view, because the special rates represent the principle of self-help, and include rates for interest on loans for tar-sealed roads. It will be noticed that the, Conference favored protecting the outlay already incurred by those Councils who have already brought their main roads up to standard with a permanent surface—a very proper attitude —it being decided to request the Government to pay interest on onehalf, of the value of tar-sealing I the roads, and one-half of the cost of future maintenance. Without doubt such contributions would solve the financial difficulties of the public bodies concerned, especially as it was suggested that, in the ease of macadam roads, the Government should pay half the cost of permanent surfacing, by loan, and half the cost of future maintenance, though it is rather much to expect contributions on such a liberal scale. Assuming, however, that satisfactory terms can be arranged with the. Government, it would seem that the fee for licensing motor vehicles should be not only comparatively small, according to the class of vehicle, but that all licenses should hold good in any part of the Dominion, the system of such licenses being restricted to one county or borough being absolutely indefensible. A license of this sort should

be national and not local. If the local bodies are relieved of a moiety of the cost of constructing and maintaining motor roads they will be placed on ' a satisfactory and equitable footing. The whole problem is one that should be attacked and solved from a national and not from a local point of view, besides taking into account the duty of the people generally as ratepayers to contribute their share of the expense of road construction. That they may pay their share directly or indirectly is certain, and it is equally sure that, whatever burdens are placed on motor conveyances carrying goods for the public, will be, in the main, passed on to the public or the consumers wherever possible. There are many points connected with this roading question that need great care in arranging if a successful solution is to be reached. The most that can be expected is an agreement upon certain general principles.