MONEY WANTED FOR ROADS

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22109, 3 June 1937, Page 12

MONEY WANTED FOR ROADS

POSITION OF COUNTY COUNCILS LOANS FROM HIGHWAYS BOARD County councils will be seriously hindered in carrying out their reading proposals in the next few years because the Main Highways Board has stopped its practice of advancing to the local bodies the share of the cost for which they are responsible. This was the position as put to the Canterbury Progress Lea’gue by the chairman of the Ashburton County Council (Mr F. Frampton) and the county clerk (Mr G. Kelly) last night, when the league was asked to support a request that sufficient funds be made available to the Main Highways Board. The league had just reviewed the work during the first year of its five-year paving programme, the secretary (Mr P. R. Climie) having explained that of the 99 miles 21 chains set out as the year’s work 45 miles 78 chains had been done or was about to be done, and that the remainder would be done this year. The Ashburton County Council's main reading proposal at present was the paving of the highway from Ashburton fo Methven, Mr Frampton explained. In the past the Main Highways Board had advanced to the local body the quarter of the cost for which it was responsible, the other threequarters being paid by the board. Work was not held up. however, because the board would not make the advances as in the past. The wish of the council was to induce the Government to make the necessary fund'available to the Main Highways Board. The council's programme for the five years included 87 miles of paving. Mr Kelly said. The total cost would be £130,500, of which the council would have to provide £43,500. “The council will find it very difficult to carry on its programme if the funds were not made available,” he said. Delay in Programme The spreading of the five-year programme over 20 years because of the lack of funds was envisaged by Mr James Carr, the council’s representa-

tive on the league. He suggested tha. authority should be given for the raising of a loan without the'necessity for s poll if the money was not otherwise available. “This involves two very important principles,” said the chairman (Mr F. O. Coop). “Should the Main Highways Board finance all reading work, and should the Government give authority to a local body to borrow without a poll?” “We agree with the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple > that the idea of wheelbarrow work has ceme to an end,” said Mr F. W. Johnston. “The carrying out of big works, if they are necessary and desirable, is a much better economic prouosition than many small works spread over a number of years, and that view by the Ashburton County Council is commendable. But from North Cape to Bluff there is a simmering of discontent because of the excessive taxation on petrol. I am sure that that simmering of discontent must have reached the ears of the Government, and that might account for the hesitancy of the Main Highways Board in meeting the requirements of county councils. There will be such a cry for a reduction in taxation that they will have to listen.” In the paving of roads in annual sections, Mr Johnston saw a danger of the first stretch being worn out before the last was finished. The x’equcst for support in an appeal to the Government for funds for the Main Highways Board was referred to the league's hj ghways committee for favourable consideration.