MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 37, 13 February 1929, Page 16

MAIN HIGHWAYS.

THE FRANKLIN COUNTY. HIGH LOCAL RATING. LOCAL BODIES SEEK RELIEF. DEPUTATION" TO MINISTER. (From Our Own Correspondent.) PI.KKKOIIE, Tuesday. The Main Highways Board met representatives of Franklin County. Pukekohe ]{orotigh, mid Tuakau and Waiuku Town Board*, and were welcomed by I lie <liairmnn of (he county (Mr. J. N. IMassny). who remarked that the council repre.-'Mited the i Microti* of ."i-50 ralfcjm\ ers, owning 470,0(10 acres, valued at nearly X1i.000.000. The tuiim-il. Mr. Jlasscy piiid, had been loukinir for a niea-ure of relief from iocal rating, but, despite subsidies received from the Highways Board ami motor lorry license fees, the rates levied had increased during , the leu years from £2:2.814 in l'.tlit to t: (7,50."> hi I<C2S. The levy for l!»28-29 was £5.22 per £1000 ratable value. Mr. Massey added that expenditure on rniultt and bridges had increased from .£ 17.."W in l!»lil to £:;0.420 for the nine months ended December 31, ID2S. There Were ;iO7 mile* of metalled roads in the county and •_'.'!■") miles uumctalled, total r>42 miles, nut of which 7.'U miles had been declared main highways. Since the Highways Hoard was constituted in 1024 £13^.;!!.'{ had been expended on road maintenance and £"■(!.!••')(> received in liighwavs sub>idies.

Regarding the Ureat South Road and the J'oki'iio-Paeroa highways, the council considered, in view of the abnormal .increase of through traffic, that a subsidy of £'>l fur £1 was insufficient, and urged that the subsidyjbe increased. The roads were expensive to maintain and a burden on the ratepayers, who were rated up to the hilt. The council suggested that the Bombay Hills deviation and the balance of the road to Mercer should be declared a Government road, and that the board should complete the metalling and bitumen penetration siinilar to that on the Kangiriri deviation. Tho council proposed to consider the question of placing proposals before the ratepayers for a loan for concreting the Papakura to Bombay deviation as soon a« estimates of the cost were known, together with the Highways Board's decision regarding essential-work on the Bombay deviation. He also urged that an additional 70 miles should be declared highways.

Replying, Mr. Jull (chairman of the board) remarked that nothing had been eaid as to what the council was prepared to contribute towards the cost of the road from Papakura to Bombay. Mr. Massey said estimates were being prepared, and when they were submitted they would be considered and an offer would be made.

Mr. Jull outlined the operations of the board regarding the disposal of revenue derived from the petrol tax, and said that the Franklin County, being an area «if roads radiating from the city, included those entitled to a £3 for £1 subsidy. Franklin was not in the same position ns the local bodies concerned in the Kangiriri deviation, and it would not be fair to regard this- work as a precedent for other works. The Rangiriri deviation was under way prior to the constitution of the Highways Board. It was authorised hj£ Parliament, and no one eaid the policy concerning it was not Bound. If the Bombay deviation was not constructed the county would to contribute its proper proportion toward reconstruction of the old road over the bills.

Apart from the work the county wanted the board to take over, the chairman said it requested an increase of 100 per cent of main highways. Was this an indication that the county had not received reasonable treatment, or was it to be taken that if a reasonable increase 5n the length of main highways was declared the council would adopt a different attitude in respect of the main arterial road? The board was rather surprised that the council had not taken the board's offer of £3 for £1 subsidy, because other bodies throughout Kew, Zealand had accepted this splendid offer! Mr. Jull said motorists were clamouring for a reduction of taxation, and if this were granted no doubt subsidies would be reduced. He advised Franklin to accept the offer for the road from Papakura to Mercer, and not wait in anticipation of getting something better, because, while adopting this attitude, they might be offered something worse. The request for additional highways being declared would receive consideration when the question was reviewed, probably in April next. . Regarding local rating, Mr. Jull eaid it was only an average, and was much lower than the rating on counties in JJorth Auckland.