HIGHWAYS FUNDS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20366, 13 October 1931, Page 8

HIGHWAYS FUNDS.

POSITION OP MR F. W. JOHKSKSM EXPLANATION.

After hearing tie _ F. W. Johnston as to tho Government in taking faj, Highways Beveane creasing the petrol tax to rn qulrements of the Bcmiaioa, f„ of the Canterbury Actonsob3» tion last night decided to Bigg eminent to allow c:rrais afflpm*»2T h terbury paving -works to with. Mr Johnston said that tfet was a time when cue broad, national view of tfes He had been called away* ] Wellington, where. with of she North Island Motor as president of the sk>uth T,t —tn_ Union, had certain facts aad put before him by the original proposal was that be a tax of 3d i-or *_-aHoa oa jrt|ss that £240.000 should be from the Highways fce used for tiio subsidy to rural i«. cal lieve the existing fcnrdea of were really not consulted aExnt J matter, but %rcre given c«rtaiaij(J? tion with a view to i>revestiag ly discussion lutor. * T.Js ixfaaSjL was subsequently puM ; shH j* ? newspapers :r. a niecifcil way.

A Good Grace. "It ttjis xelr. coEtieued Mr that motorist i could iic: sum mentioned being taken ta the country in the present daafe stances, and would r.ectp with a good gra-*e r:.d £ liaihraf&t The amount of lent to s. ct 11 a a whereas if a .xx of £•! hsd to it might; have vtmaited oa £araa» ycara. As riau .t; s:eod, to submit - tax of ea a dip out (.i Higawaya was hoped tLat the dip ~resM mi {| an annual one. Mr G. S. Morris: X am hear your remarks. I Forbes is quite right whea ht Mil that no i'und should be " ' "ib| a special purpose. ■ Mr Johnston: 1 do act 3gJ^i|§ : you there. " •: .

Local Soadiߣ Wffits. ( 'li there had been bo ssrpias Aei would have been no diremai tf ih funds," said Mr F. W. went on to state that tks aMaMq import of the Main Hidnns Kni showed that there was a bat>M« 4f about *£500,000, the greater gttktf which was to the credit of tab Mfe Island. The state of the inMB that there was a great deal aanr< South Island money imesjteaiai ||§| North Island money. For South Island had bran lagging iNNft the North in this respect and a»<Mlfc a good proportion of the £34SljßHmfr cerned belonged to the South Mai.; Mr Johnston: I do sot tJuUfe'jffi an accrued surplus. It is <aa?y aw* plus for the year. Mr Freeman, continuing, said Haiti had taken a ions time to get *lll' gramme of hidmn set oat. W§# bad been finally adopted. Tbsy IUA clamoured for pared roads aanMMßijH burton, Leitiificld, aw] Tai mosey for which bad been tenders were on the psial «f |H called. If the counties put off now, they might iNfMsr toßMft'H favourable to the proposals Freeman added that he wanU ariipr ■ the present action of the GunMMifl to he treated as a toajdsofe appoint motorists In »pid todMfljM I roads. The present wasthe ■ carry out such work. whadb i—illll vide work for unempSosed an. ill moved that the Asswsatkai **&*#■ the St. Hon. J. G. Goatee; JMMMM for Public Works and Charge of Roads, urging thai tIMM ■ enumerated by turn should fea jmMM I ■ mth. •'Otherwise," _. he cmdMp I "we will be left again as *• ■(MfB have been, and always *3l ta, ggfflgrfl as I can see." 25 8 The motion vu seeeededl ly Johnston and carried. \-W; 9