ROAD MAINTENANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 134, 8 June 1926, Page 6

ROAD MAINTENANCE.

BURDEN OS RATEPAYERS

The Hamilton Borough Council views with the gravest concern the increasing burden which is bein 2 placed on ratepayers .in respect to tho formation and maintenance of the streets, and is of the opinion that, as such increased charges are due solely to the demands of. and the damage caused by, motor traffic it is totally inequitable to burden the ratepayers with the whole of these charges.

A letter conveying this opinion was read at the meeting of the Borough Council last night, with the request that the latter would join with Hamilton in, urging upon the Government to introduce the necessary legislation during the coming session,'and"as a matter of urgency, transferring an equitable proportion of this burden from the ratepayers to the users of the roads and streets.

The Mayor remarked that it looked as if the Hamilton Borough Council ■wanted the Government to increase the tax on motor vehiclea. He expressed the opinion that only private cars could carry extra taxation. Mr. R. G. Speight said that the Onohunga Borough Council received £1200 last year for motor vehicle licenses, which amounted to 20 per cent of the amount (£6000) to be spent on the roads in the borough this year. It was decided to take no action In the matter.