ARTERIAL ROADS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3121, 27 June 1917, Page 6

ARTERIAL ROADS

THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY

DEPUTATION RAISES IMPORTANT M ISSUE. A large deputation waited upon the « Minister for Public Works (the Hon. \\. I'raser) last night in order to urge that the Government should take oyer the Manawatu Gorge Boad and bridge, the • deputation, which represented many local bodies in the districts around the was accompanied oy - ' Guthrie, ALP., J). Bnick, MP. and W i B field. M.P. It' was introduced by ill-. G. 11. Smith, iI.P. The Manawatu Gorge. Mr Xash (Palmerstou North) said that recently a commission had been set up to consider the Gorge Boad and bridge*, and the people interested had taken the opportunity to urge that the Goveinufent should take over the road and the bridges as national works. 'llns. was the request that the deputation wishedl to ur-o upon the Government.- Ihe deputanon felt that the Manawatu Gorge Koad should Le taken over by the Government in the same way as the Ocua, Gorge Head had been taken over. It was the main artery between Manawatu and Kn*ke4 Bay, and it was used by the whole country from iaranaki to There w f little or no rateable land in tho neighbourhood ol: fto "orge. The control at present was vested tf three local bodies, which bad varymg interests. Tho upkeep ot the road nder theso conditions natural!j was not satisfactory. The report of tho coinuii - flion had not yet been made puLfio, but the difficulty would not bo ended it tno ist of maintenance was d»tributed orer the various local bodies that had been cited. Mr. Nash mentioned that ine Government held a block of land which had been set. aside as an endowment foi the maintenance of tho Gorge Boad. itte local bodies had never received any ot tho revenue from that land. , Jlr T. Hodgins (Pahiatua County Council) said tW on a previous occasion the Minister had advised tho local bodies to widen t ho aica ot contribution. They had sought thou to distribute the burden over 29 areas, but a, commission had reduced tho number to 15. Tho local bodies felt stronglj that the Gorgofioad. as the feting link between the two coasU, should bo treated as a national road. Other speakers represented the l\iiraiiga County Council, Orou» Coun y Sicil, Daunevirke Borough Councd Woodville Borough Council, » 000 ;"" c County Council, Pahiatua Borough Council Pohangina County Coimci, Wainawa. County Council, Bangitikci County CouncH ami ITcilding Borough Council j" Smith said that tallies; showedl flat m o t of the traffic through tho Gorge ™ motor- traffic, which was for much damage. The load Avas toe natural connecting link between the d,stricts on either.side of the Goige. l Mr. Guthrie said he '.ad always eontended that the Gorge Boad should be regarded as a national responsibility. Ihe condition of the road at present was hiehlv dangerous owing to the tact cr-ai, the ISobjhbonrinx local hodiej not provide tho money required to i"*^" 11 fl in proper order for arterial t afhc Motor traffic had come to stay, and W» destined to take traffic away from tho "ThTMinister: Then it will have to be U MrSield and Mr. Buiekalso supported the claim of the deputation.

Ministor's Reply. The Minister, in reply, eaid that he could not look upon the proposal oltte advocated affected every arte - abroad in Ne«- Zealand. The present ■> r , elatiu- to main roads was l.oUatioacton' Parliament had beer, promised often a new and improved Local Go■ - 7i. u;il Tha measure was on we 'J he Mintetcr aoatu Government -,ftSrd»e3o,elteadThe local tt would have to take over many others. Ho was often asked to build a railway, a ,,d when the line was completed ho p" pie asked for a wad to run parallel wi h it so that they could ride, m motorcars His contention was that the people who used the roads should pay for them. The Manawatu Gorge ftaad iindoubtedlv was an arterial road, and the bulk of the revenue required for _ its maintenance would have to 1« I'vonded bv the owners of motor-cars. They weie, the chief users of the road, and they did most of the damage. He believed a tax on the motors using the Gorge Koad. would provide all the money required for maintenance.

A Toll-Gate, Mr. -Nash: Would the Government, put a 'toll '.'ate on the road? Mv. \V. S. Short (heeretiiiy tor rublie Works: There used to be a tollgate there, .but it was removed in eonsequence of protests. Mr. Buick: That was before the days ol' the motor-car. The Minister: ft is the old position. Everybodv wants to use the road, everybody wants i-he road kept in order, and 'nobody wants to pay for it. 31 r. i'raser added that the settlement of the arterial road question depended upon the passing of a Local Government Bill, and there was no chance at all of such a Bill being considered by Parliament in war time. In the meantime the report of the commission would suggest means of distributing fairly the cost of maintaining the Msumwatu Gorge ftoad and bridges. He would give the matter his careful attention. Tho Upper Gorge bridge required attention at the present time, but his Department had no money for such a work. He had given authorities for every shilling of the money placed at his" disposal for roads and bridges, ami he could not tell what further sums would become available. He believed 'that the Government ought to assist the local bodies in the maintenance of the Gorge Road, and when he received the report-of the commission he would place the whole matter before the Cabinet.

Public Works Expenditure. In conclusion. Mr. fraser made a general reference to public .works expenditure. He said that he did not believe it would be wise policy to suspend public works expenditure a!together, even in war time. The Dominion had a big burden of debt to carry, and the way to lighten the load was to increase production and provide means for getting prodjee to tbc markets. But he could not know yet what- amount of money would bo placed at his disposal by Parliament, and people who were asking for public works of any kind ought, to realise the difficulties of the Government. Most, of the loan money to be raised by the Government during the current financial year would be required for war " purposes. The war was costing Now 'iaar lnid nt least .£1,000,000 a month, and the Government would not find it easy to raise money for other purposes, though it intention 1 to make an effort. A. member of the deputation asked if tlm Minister would give a favourable bearing to a request for permission to ylace a toll-gate on the Gorpe l'oad. Mr. Feasor said that lie would consider anv request of the kind. He had given permission for the erection of toll-gates in some instances, and bad refused permission in other cases.

Sir. Nash: Would the Government erect the toll-Kate? Mr. Frascr: 1 we, you want Hie Government to do the worV and boar the odium. Governments are meant for Ibat. (Laughter.) Mr. Tiiiiek Ihanlced the Minister on behalf '.'S Hie deniiliit.ie.li. and said tlHit. lie. believed a toll-sate offered a solution of the whole, difficulty.