SHARE WANTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 209, 3 September 1932, Page 6

SHARE WANTED.

PETROL TAX ALLOCATION. NEWMARKET AND OTAKUHTJ. REQUEST TO PRIME MINISTER. Requests to the Government to amend the law to enable tlielr boroughs to participate in the petrol tax allocation were made to the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, this morning by the Mayors, of Newmarket and Otahuhu. It was pointed out by Mr. S. Donaldson, Mayor of Newmarket, that since his borough had a population of less than GOOO it had not been able to receive a share of the petrol tax revenue, and although Newmarket was carrying heavier traffic for its area than any other body in New Zealand, it was debarred also from having its road declared a main highway. A tally taken showed that on an ordinary day 5000 vehicles had passed through the borough in four hours. On its roads Newmarket had spent £80,000, the interest on which was equivalent to «a shilling in the pound, but nothing had .been received in the way of petrol tax. The committee appointed by the Government to investigate highways finance had recommended that boroughs placed as Newmarket was should receive favourable consideration, and the deputation asked that that recommendation should be given effect. Mr. Donaldson emphasised that Newmarket was not asking the Government for financial assistance, but that the 8 per cent allocation from petrol tax proceeds should be spread over a large number of local bodies. He added that One Tree Hill had not only received assistance from the Main Highways ]3oard for road construction, but had later received its share of the petrol tax allocation. In reply to the Prime Minister, Mr. Donaldson said that the population of Newmarket was 3200. Three-quarters of the roads were down in concrete and the remainder in bitumen. Mr. Forbes: Is there any other borough with a population of 3000 that does not get a share of the tax ? Mr. Donaldson. There may be a number, but they would be receiving a subsidy from the board for construction and maintenance. Mr. Forbes: How is it you are not in the same position ? Mr. Donaldson: None of our roads has been declared a main highway. Otahuhu's Burden. "The position of Otahuhu is not parallel with that of Newmarket," said the Mayor, Mr. T. Clements, who explained that no assistance had been received from the boi.rd for the roads constructed prior to the passage of the original legislation, although thei borough at present was carrying the load of. interest of £20,000 expended on the construction of what was unquestionably a national highway. As it seemed impossible to obtain a subsidy from the board, the next best thing was to agree to the recommendation of the investigating committee and endeavour to obtain a share of the petrol tax allocation. Had construction in Otahuhu been deferred until after the board came into being there would have been no difficulty in obtaining the subsidy. That was the anomaly of the position. He suggested that it was only fair that each case should be considered on its merits, and in this connection he pointed out that almost half the ratable property in Otahuhu was exempt from rates. The borough still had a strong moral claim for a Hiibßidy/ ; but apparently it was impossible to get it; and all that remained was to seek relief through a share in the petrol tax allocation, notwithstanding that the population of Otahuhu was under 6000, Consideration Of Claims. Replying, the Prime Minister stated that when single instances of believed injustices were taken up, matters were sometimes raised that were beyond the financial capacity of the board to meet. He would arrange to have the points looked into to see what could be done. It was, of course, to be remembered that in accordance with the wishes of the local bodies themselves the Main Highways Board had been made independent of Government influence, the local authorities demanding that the funds available for distribution should enjoy freedom from Government direction. Now deputations were urging the Government to follow the very policy to which they had been opposed previously. "Taken as a whole," Mr. Forbes added, "the Main Highways Board has administered the fund very fairly and very satisfactorily. I think that is recognised. In the ordinary way we do not receive complaints, except in a few Isolated instances. Local bodies in general seem themselves to be quite satisfied,, and I think the board has tried to meet every reasonable objection." In the present case the suggestion related to amending legislation, and the representations would be considered to see if anything could be done. The Government did not want any local body to labour under a sense of injustice.