NEW ROADING SUBSIDY

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27896, 18 February 1956, Page 10

NEW ROADING SUBSIDY

CITY COUNCIL VIEW CLARIFICATION AW AITED The Christchurch City Council is hopeful that it will benefit from the new subsidy of up to £3 for £1 for approved urgent reading works in larger municipalities which has been announced by the Minister of Works and the chairman of the National Roads Board (Mr W. S. Goosman). but it is awaiting clarification of the proposals. “When the extent of the assistance w'hich will be available to local authorities under the Government’s proposals is known in more detail we will be in a better position to estimate the assistance which will be available to this city,” said the Town Clerk (Mr H. S. Feast) yesterday afternoon. “It is not clear whether the proposal is to make funds available merely for the construction and maintenance of the continuation of main highways, as would appear to be the case in view of the Minister’s statement that the new subsidy is identical with that paid to counties in respect of main highways, or whether additional subsidies over and above the 22s a head of population now paid to all municipalities with a population of more than 6000 will be paid to local bodies which propose carrying out special reading programmes.

“Most of the major local authorities are faced with heavy expenditure to bring their roads up to a standard necessary to meet the demands created by the greatly-increased number of vehicles and much heavier types of vehicles now using their roads,” said Mr Feast. “In Christchurch the City Council is embarking on a major reading scheme, the initial stage of which entails the raising of a loan of £500,000. The major part of these works has been made necessary by the conversion of the Transport Board’s services from trams to buses. I would like to think that the Minister would visualise such circumstances as warranting the granting of a further subsidy. Subsidy Welcome

‘The city, in common with most local bodies throughout New Zealand, is finding it extremely difficult to obtain subscriptions to its loans, and a generous subsidy from the road board’s account would go a long way towards facilitating the carrying oul of the loan programme. “A contribution from the Government towards the cost of reconstructing and maintaining the continuation of main highways through the city would in itself be of considerable assistance. Roads such as Moorhouse avenue. Lincoln, Papanui, and Ferry roads and Cranford street would come within this category, but a substantial contribution towards the cost of reconstructing the city’s roads generally would, of course, be even more acceptable," Mr Feast said. “It is known that some local bodies in different parts of New Zealand have already unsuccessfully made applications for a subsidy to assist with the cost of upgrading the continuations of main highways which run through their districts. For instance. the One Tree Hill Borough Council, faced with a loan of £50.000 to meet the cost of improving about one mile of the Great South road in its district, was one of those which made applications for a subsidy without success.” Mr Feast said. “The Government’s new proposals will be welcomed by such smaller local bodies as well as major ones. “The City Council will no doubt take a very careful look at its reading programme, particularly those items which are to be covered bv the £500.000 loan, with a view to making application for a subsidy on such of the work as would come within the scope of the new proposals.” The Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane. M.P.) said yesterday that the Minister’s announcement semed to confirm an earlier published report that there was likely to be a large surplus in the Roads Fund. It was his attitude that if there was heavy taxation for reading purposes, the money should not be hoarded.