ROAD TO HELENSVILLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 188, 9 August 1924, Page 14

ROAD TO HELENSVILLE.

LENGTH OF CONCRETE RIBBON,

HIGHWAYS BOARD TO DECIDE.

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star. ,, )

WELLINGTON, Friday,

The proposed concrete road from Auckland to Helensville was the subject of discussion in the House of Representatives this evening. Mr. Murdoch (Marsden) complained that the Northern District Council, which was concerned in the matter, had not been consulted as to the spending of the £30,000. There was already a road from Auckland to Helensville.

Hon. J. G. Coates: I beg your pardon —a road ?

Mr. Murdoch said it might not be the best of roads, but it was a long way better than many roads in his own district. The question was whether it would not be better to repair metal roads and bring them up to a fair condition before setting out with a concrete road. The matter was of the utmost importance to the groups. If they weru not to have their fair share of control of these moneys, but were to be overruled by the main body, it seemed as if it was no use having groups at all. We were getting back to the former system of political control, which the Highways. Board was intended to abolish.

Hon. J. G. Coates replied that, so far as he knew, the Highways Board had not committed itself to any expenditure in connection with the AueklaudHelensville Road. The Auckland City Council were constructing the highway in continuation of Karangahape Road as far as Avondalc Borough out of funds the Council had raised for the purpose. Whether the Highways Board intended carrying the road beyond that point he was unable to say. In no case in the Dominion had the Highways Board up to date gazetted any highway through, any borough or town district. He did not know whether the. Board would follow the course of gazetting these highways through a borough or not, but the Act left it to the Board to make a contribution towards a highway or road selected'as a highway where it *p as sed through a borough or town district. That was the position so far as he was concerned. Mr. Murdoch: What about the Xorthern Council? \

Mr. Coates: As far as that is concerned, I do not think they come into the proposed expenditure on the Auck-land-Helensville Road, because the rural bodies do not operate till they gst outside New Lynn town district. That is the position so far as the North Auckland Highway Council is concerned. 1 agree that, as far as that area is concerned, the Highways Board should, and docs, and will I am certain, work in conjunction with the council representing the northern district. We have to remember, however, that the Act cannot operate satisfactorily, or make any headway, till we have some method of being able to register the number of motor cars in the North and South Islands, because the Highways Act says the money shall be divided according to the number of cars registered in the two islands. And it says so shall the other money, Public Works Fund, borrowed money and revenue be allocated. Therefore it is essential that we should have some legislation as early as possible to provide for that. Such a measure is ready to be introduced after receiving the formal consent of Cabinet.