ESTIMATES DISCUSSED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 15 August 1925, Page 9

ESTIMATES DISCUSSED.

PROPOSED VOTES REVIEWED.

THE MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD.

ROAD MAINTENANCE SUBSIDIES.

(By Telegraph.—Parlktmentarj- Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday.

"1 know there is a great deal to be done before the Main Highways Board gets fairly into its stride, but I -certainly think more should have been done In the country districts by that boar 4 than has been done so far," said Mr. Forbes, the new leader of the Opposition, when the vote for the board was under review in committee on the Estimates to-day. He was sure the money available was far more than was required merely for maintenance pur-

poses. Mr. Buddo (Kaiapoi) considered that if the board had not enough funds it should have authority to raise more. Complaint was made by Mr. McCombs (Lyttelton) that it was unfair that local bodies coming under the highways scheme should have to pay two-thirds of the cost of road maintenance. Local bodies were not prepared to put themselves further into debt by raising loans for important works until the Highways Board had the money which it should fairly expend. More latitude ehould be given the board in regard to individual local bodies as to what proportion of cost of maintenance should be contributed, as some were less advantageously situated than the others.

The proportion of £1 for £2 was not big enough contribution on the part of the board, declared Mr. Masters (Stratford), discussing the matter of road maintenance. The board should bear hallf-cost in most cases. Local bodies should be allowed to borrow for construction purposes. The anomalous position of Northcoto, in that it did not benefit as did Devonport by having a road running to _ wharf, was referred to by Mr. Harris (Waitemata), who,said the road to the Northcote wharf carried a considerable volume of traffic which did not belong to the borough. In the North, said the Prime Minister, touching on some of the matters referred to in criticism, local bodies were prepared to find a good deal more money than local bodies in the South for road works. Perhaps the roads in the South were better, but there metal was nearly always more accessible than was the case in the North, and the cost of Southern roads was in no way comparable to the cost in the North. The Government did not wish to force local to borrow money if they did not wish to do so. The Act was to be amended so as to allow the board to contribute up to £ for £ for maintenance. Mr. Masters: Will the board make straight on the grants? "Yes, if it is found desirable," replied the Prime Minister, who went on to say it would be impracticable to take over every town in New Zealand and say what the hoard must contribute in the way of maintenance, before they went on spending great sums of money, eaid Mr. Coates, after he had given figures relative to the board's income (whicla have already been published in the "Star"). In regard to the road to Takapuna boundary, the aim of the board was to pick up the lines with the city, at Devonport, and continue the highway to the North. "Northcote is hard hit," said Mr. Harris. The Prime Minister expressed hia belief, though he was not certain, that by the amendment to the Act Northcote would benefit. Pleasure was expressed by several members at the promise of the Prime Minister that the board was seeking to bear more than one-third of the cost of maintenance, but Mr. Holland desired an assurance that the board would make an effort this year to spend the unexpended balance of the vote, stating that although the vote last year was over £75,000, only £36,000 was spent. The Highways Board vote was passed.