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The Westport Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1874.

The circular from the Provincial Secretary to the Chairman of the Local Revenues Board, stating that from and after date the sole control and supervision of all roads within the District will be handed over to the Board, and of which circular each Board in the Province has received a copy, is a necessary outcome of the establishment of such Boards. It has been the custom among many individuals to ridicule the idea of ltoad Boards being called into existence and to question their usefulness or adaptability, but the Provincial Executive cleanly holds a different opinion, and seeks to impose on the Boards a duty which the Executive has heretofore found some difficulty in satisfactorily administering. Nothing has given greater dissatisfaction in the management of Provincial affairs than the subject of " Roads and Bridges." True it is that out of the Provincial Peveuues considerable sums have been expended year by year in making bush tracks, in bridging mouutain- creeks and burns, and, after a fashion, in giving facilitiesfor opening up the country, and the Provincial Government has taken not a little credit to Lself for making many miles of pack tracks throughout the Province instead of a comparatively few miles of macadamised roads for wheeled traffic. The avowed policy of the Provincial Government for years past has been to open up a rough and ready means of communication between the sea board and inland portions of the Province, and to some extent the effort has been effective. But the weak point of such policy has been ever apparent, and year by year has become more palpably manifest. It has been one thing to hew tracks through the bush, to cut narrow and tortuous paths round dangerous sideliugs, and throw temporary bridges across streams, and another thing to keep such primitive meaus of communication open for traffic. The moneys spent yearly in patching and repairing so called roads have been a continuous and unprofitable drain on the provincial revenues, and the result of such expenditure has been of little permanent benefit. A chronic growl of discontent at the wretched state of the roads lias seldom ceased, and now, as the winter months are approaching, will be renewed with increased intensity. AVith failing revenues, no present means at command for road improvements, and with doubtful prospect of any in the future, the members of the Provincial Executive have thought best to rid themselves as quickly as may be of a responsibility that has long been a source of trouble and annoyance, and the establishment of Eoad Boards throughout the Province affords a ready and convenient agency. On general principles the delegation to local bodies of control over roads and bridges is fit and proper, and on such grounds few will question the action now taken. But it is one thing to give authority and another to give the means of exercising such authority, and in this latter respect the Boards at present stand in a doubtful position. Their revenues are yet dependent on uncertain sources. The power of levying rates under the Local Revenues Act has yet to be tested, the easy collection of such rates even when lawfully levied is questionable, and the revenues from all other sources depends upon so many varying circumstances that not a single Board, as at present constituted, has been enabled to form even, an approximate estimate

of tlio amount of its revenue for the current year. It is unfair to the Boards just as the election of new members is pending to thrust an excess of duty upon them, which under prosent circumstances they cannot fulfil, and still more unfair to tho public, who, in urging just claims for ox penal--turo on necessary works, will, between two doubtful authorities, get little satisfaction. It is not likely tho local Boards will attempt to shirk tho responsibilities of office, but they certainly will not attempt to make bricks without straw, and the.present danger is that very few persons will be found willing to accept, or in accepting to retain, the doubtful honor of being Koad Board members.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18740407.2.7

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1165, 7 April 1874, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
687

The Westport Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1874. Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1165, 7 April 1874, Page 2

The Westport Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1874. Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1165, 7 April 1874, Page 2

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