THE CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR OF ROADS.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 31, 5 August 1867, Page 3

THE CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR OF ROADS.

The recent meetings which have been held in the Wairarapa for the formation of highway districts, and the disallowance of the Act passed by the Provincial Council in its last session for the consolidation of the law on the subject, are both matters fresh in the recollection of our readers, and are both naturally eliciting a great deal of discussion. The question as to who should bear the cost of constructing roads, and who should bear the cost of repair, has lately in England, been definitely decided, but not without much angry controversy. But the more the subject was discussed the plainer it became that the owners of land and houses should bear the first cost of their construction ; the value of the property near being increased by every new road or bridge, and that the occupiers—in fact the general public of each district ought to bear the cost of annual repairs. In this Province all roads opening up new districts, whether main trunk lines or otherwise, ought to be constructed out of the land fund, and maintained by a general land tax, but this is not the system which has been adopted. A radical reform is here needed. Owners of land abutting on main trunk lines, as they are called, pay nothing for the construction of such roads, and they have hitherto paid nothing for their maintainance; while owners of land not so fortunately situated, are not only called upon to contribute to the cost of the repair of the roads they require, but to pay also a very large contribution towards their construction. This is clearly a matter that requiresaltering. The toll system in England is now all but exploded, but, it may, nevertheless, in its day, have had its advantages. Where, by a moderate toll a large revenue for the repair of roads is realised, we are inclined to think it should not be hastily dispensed with. “At first glance,” observes the “ Australasian,” iC it appears that the farmer, marketgardener, coach-proprietor, carrier, &c , should pay for the repairs of the roads they use so much; but on a closer investigation it is seen that these are working for and supported by the public, who have in the ena to pay the tolls as well as all other parts of their current exEenses. Whatever increases the cost of ringing anything to market must needs increase the price of it to the consumer, and if the carrier or coach-owner has to pay a pound in the shape of tolls between'distant towns, he must charge so much more in proportion for the carriage of his goods or passengers. Thus, every one who has money to spend contributes to the keeping of the roads in order, ac- 1 cording to his expenditure, and is directly interested in having the money set apart for this purpose all devoted to actum repairs, ana not to the support of useless or troublesome gate-keepers.” There is no doubt some truth in these remarks, but it is not only farmers and carriers who use the roads, whether in England or the Colonies, and in New Zealand there is a large class, comprising Maories and others, who make use of the roads, and cannot he made to contribute anything towards their maintenance except by means of the toll-gate. To those who are at last taking an interest in the formation of Road Districts in the Wairarapa we would put the question, whether it would not be advisable "to petition Parliament in favor of the Shire Councils’ Bill, which will give them more power and funds than they can obtain under the District Highway’s Act.