The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News The Echo and The Sun. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1931. ROADS POLICY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 262, 5 November 1931, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News The Echo and The Sun.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1931. ROADS POLICY.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the tcrong that needs resistance, For the futwi- ih the diftsuce, And the good that tee r»» da.

Very important questions are raised by the report of the Parliamentary Committee s„et up to inquire into highways finance. The interest of the report goes beyond the recommendations, important though they are, that all the proceeds of motor and petrol taxation should be paid into the Highways Fund, that all the funds should be earmarked for roading purposes, that allocations be made automatithat the cost of roads other than highways should be partly met out of this fund, and that farm lands be relieved by rating for road purposes. A study of this report, the annual report of the Main Highways Board and the Public Works Statement, shows how enormously expenditure on roading . has increased, and how important it is that the whole policy of road-making and road financing should be reviewed. The "Dominion" calls attention to the increase in expenditure. Since 1913 the expenditure of the Public Works Department on road construction has increased from £400,000 to £2,233,000, and the "Dominion" says that, in addition, the annual bill for maintenance is about £4,000,000, which, Ave take it, would include all roads, in boroughs as well as counties. The country, of course, has received much value for this expenditure; road transport has been revolutionised, and the quality of roads has had to keep, pace Avith the change. But even when allowance has been made for this and for the abnormal economic conditions, one may join the "Dominion" in asking whether the nation, on a severely reduced national income, can continue pouring out money at this rate.

It was believed "when the Highways Board was set up that its operations would relieve flocal bodies, and especially counties, of much expenditure, but these hopes have not been realised. Local bodies have continued to spend heavily. The proposal to place all roads under the Board and to derate rural lands requires a good deal of consideration. It would increase the proportion of responsibility for road finance that is placed on the shoulders of one class —-users of motors —and lessen the responsibility of the man Who works .the land. If the farmer is relieved of the burden of road rating he may take less interest in his local government, and the trend towards centralisation would be encouraged. To place all categories of roads under the jurisdiction of the Highways Board might have the same effect, for the Board would allocate the grants, and it would be proposed that Public Works engineers should supervise expenditure. Whatever is done, care should be taken not to destroy local interest and local control.