ROAD BOARDS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17857, 1 September 1923, Page 5

ROAD BOARDS.

QUESTION OF ABOLITION.

A special meeting was held in the Asliburton County " Council chambers yesterday afternoon to consider the question of the abolition of the existing nine Road Boards" and merging the control of the affairs of the county in the County Council. The existing Road Boards are: South Rakaia, Mount Hutt, Mount Somers, Anaraa, R-angi-tata, Coldstream, Longbeach, Wakanui, and Upper Ashburton. The meeting \va3 also called to discuss tho provisions of- the Main Highways Bill. Mr W. T. Lill, chairman pf the County Council, who presided over fc good "attendance, explained that the meeting was called for two main objects. One was the Main Highways Bill; anil he wanted to get an expression of opinion 011 how the measure would act. Ho had never been of opinion .that the Highways Bill was wanted, though the North Island peop!c wanted it. There were many counties in the South Island that regretted having cut up their counties into such small areas, and were now "whipping the cat" over it. The Souih Island people were of opinion that there should be two Highways Board —one for th<) North Island and another for the South Island. He had met the_ South Island people while ho was in "Wellington recently, and they advocated that Ashburton should be grouped with the northern portion of the South Island. Ashburton shpuld strongly protest against another district. The district was large and important enough to be grouped by itself. The Road Board? had done splendid work in the past, but- he was of opinion that these Boards were now out of date. He read a copy of a resolution which had been passed by the County Council, protesting against the present Highways Bill. He personally was very strongly against the present grouping of the various districts. and counties. He asked for an expression t>f opinion on the present 'Highways -Bill. Mr R.. J. Simpson said it was no use wasting time in expression of opinions, as thev would have to accept the Bill. Mr C. Reid 6aid it was a disgrace to cast any reflection on the Roaa Boards or to say that tho roads were in a worso condition than in parts of the South Island. The thing to do now wass to find out. the opinion which existed on tho question of the. .abolition' or otkenriso. ot tho Road Boards. 7 H,e then/read the results of the voting which had some time back been taken on tho abolition of the Road Boards, and tho. result, was that the Road .Boards should remain at at present. • A proposal had been made that the county should be divided into two counties, but there were many object tions to this, as there were many valuable reserves which it would be hard 1.0 deal with if the county was divided into twp. There was no doubt that something would have to be doiio to improve the roads and to get up-to-date machinery. Mr W. G. Gallagher moved: "That this meeting is in favour of Ashburton not being grouped with any other district in regard to the Main Highways Bill." Mr G. "W". Leadley expressed tho opinion that the .Main Highways Bill was & most ill-considered measure, and) not one voice had been raised against it when it was before the House;. It •haa been practically allowed to r go by default.':.; The measure had, however, now become law, and they would have to abide by it. He was strongly , opposed to the measure all the way through. Mr Gallagher's, motion was seconded by Mr A. .Horsey. Mr Leadley said there was a provision by which the Ashburton. County could protect itself. Mr Lilley, of Methven, said he was in faivour: of two counties, or two county councils. Mr*F. Frampton said Ashburton was quite large enough to stand alone as.re- ! gards the Main highways Bill, and he : strongly , protested against Ashburton being grouped with any other county or district.

In reply to Mr H. B. C. Withell, the chairman said'the Road Boards "would have no say in regard to tha Highways Bill. . Ashburton should become a unit-by itself, and should not b e grouped with any other , district. The money should be . allocated to various districts according to valuation. They were going to fight the Government, and Ashburton was going to insist on being a separate constituent body. Mr Frampton's motion was then put, : and' carried unanimously. ■ • Mr Reid then moved that an opinion as to the abolition of the Road Boards should be obtained by petition. Mr Frampton was of the opinion that Mr Raid's motion did not go far enough. The motion was seconded by Mr Gallagher, who said that since the. last vote, was taken an alteration in the law had been made to the effect that any money raised in a particular district would be spent in that district. ,An up-to-date and expensive road-forming piant was absolutely necessary, and this could not be obtained by the small Road Boards. Mr Frampton said he was in favour of the abolition of the Road Boards from a financial standpoint, as the administration would be carried out much more cheaply by one large body than by a number of small bodies. On the consideration of economy, the Roard Boards should be abolished, andi the affaire of the whole -county, administered by the one large body; Mr Simpson said tney mightbe" very good farmers, but they might know very little abuut road-making and i-oad-mairitenance. He was in favour of the abolition of the Road Boards, and the affairs of the county being administered by the County Council, with a highly-qualified engineer, who knew all about road-making. • Mr Sewell. Mayfield, expressed himself in favour of - the abolition of the Road Boards. Mr Le&dley said the Ashburton County was admirably seifved by the various local bodies, and they could Bafely continue to entrust the affairs of the district to the present lecal bodies.

Mr W. Jewell, Lowcliffe, exprsssod the opinion that the proposal now before themeethjg was a very reasonable one, but they in the Coldstream Road Board district : would be isolated if the ltoad Boards were abolished. Tho administration of their district had very economical, and they felt sure that if the Road Boards were abolished this district would not be so well served as at present.. Mr H. B. C. Withell said that since the Geraldine district abolished its road boards the roads in outlying districts were getting {ittention which they- did not get under the • Road Boards.

Mr Reid said that one thine which was, badly needed to make good roads was-a good roller. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. It. was decided, on the motion of Mr Simpson, seconded by Mr W. Oakley, that the County Council take steps to ascertain by petition the opinion of the ratepayers on the abolition of tho Road Boards.