LOANS FOR ROADS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 94, 22 April 1926, Page 6

LOANS FOR ROADS.

PROVIDING FOR INTEREST. A HAMILTON. PROPOSAL. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. "That the Government be asked to introduce legislation giving local bodies which control, make and maintain streets and roads, power in the licensing of motor vehicles, both public ana private, to collect a fee sufficiently highto provide 80 per cent of the interest and sinking fund on loans for the purpose of making roads and streets capable of standing present-day motor traffic, and also for the maintenance ot such streets and roads." This drastic motion, calculated to open up an enormous question, was moved by Cr. F. A. Snell at a meeting ol . tha Hamilton Borough Council last night. Speaking to the motion, Mr. Snell considered that the cost of raising loans for roads was not falling on the right shoulders. During the past few years the Hamilton Borough Council had spent a large amount of money on roads which resulted in a considerable saving to motor users. He estimated that this improvement in roads would save the average mbtorist at least £25 per year, although the whole burden of cost fell on the. ratepayers generally. He saw no possibility of maintaining the roads ia their present condition unless there were some additional means of getting revenue. They would yet have to borrow a tremendous amount before the thoroughfares would be thoroughly satisfactory. Could they expect the ratepayers to continue to sanction loans for roads for the benefit of practically, one section of the community only? ' The council generally agreed that the matter was a most important one and referred it to a committee for further consideration before referring.it to tup .Government. ,_.«.-