MILITARY ROAD WORKS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23445, 27 September 1941, Page 10

MILITARY ROAD WORKS

INCIDENCE OF COST The use of Main Highways Board funds for roads for military purposes was questioned by Mr G. S. Morns (Canterbury) at the meeting of the South Island Motor Union yesterday. Funds for this purpose, he thought, should come from other sources. Mr M. H. Wynyard, motorists’ representative on the Main Highways Board, had said that there were certain highways of military importance on which the board was spending money. The possibility of the use of New Zealand highways becoming supremely important in war had to be considered, said Mr Wynyard. If war came to New Zealand shores the highways would play a very important part in the defence of the country. Mr Morris asked whether it was correct for motorists’ money to be spent for this purpose. They were contributing in other ways also. In reply, Mr Wynyard said the roads coming into this category would have received attention as part of the board’s ordinary programme in peace time. All that had happened was that because they were of military importance they were now given priority over other works. The cost of some road works for military purposes was being met out of the War Purposes Fund.