CUTS IN ROAD EXPENDITURE

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27988, 7 June 1956, Page 19

CUTS IN ROAD EXPENDITURE

DISTRICT COUNCIL’S ESTIMATES

16 PER CENT. DOWN ON EARLIER FIGURES After hearing the National Roads Board’s case fur a general reduction of 20 per cent, in the national reading programme, the No. 14 District Roads Council yesterday cut its 1956-57 estimates by 16.6 per cefit. Instead of asking the board for £665.000 for road and bridge building and road mainten- nee in the area from the Waipara river to the Rakaia in the coming year, the council eliminated £112,497 to reduce the figure to £553.503. “When this year’s estimates were being prepared, we suggested that councils could increase their estimates on the previous year by 10 per cent.”, said Major N. A. Rattray, for the board. “For the coming year, we suggested that you draw up realistic estimates, in relation to the amount you felt you could spend. “When those estimates came in, they totalled £27,000,000,” he said. “Last year, the board’s allocation was £ 18.700,000—and the districts spent 1 £19,500.000. This year the estimates totalled £27,000,000, and we returned them for review. “We are seeking an over-all cut of 20 per cent., but this will not apply equally to all district councils. • One council which spent £382.000 in 195455 and £440.000 last year is ashing for £1.114.000 this year. In this district, because of your realistic estimates. the cut will not be as great.

Limits of Revenue “We regret the necessity for these cuts as much as you do—we had been egging you on to spend to the limit of your capacity. But I doubt whether the districts could spend £27.000,000 In the coming year,” said Major Rattray. “In the last two years we have made spectacular progress, but we could not continue at the same tempo: our revenue would not permit it.” Mr J. B. Cullen, also representing the board, said: “To my mind, this £27,000.000 represents the state of the roads in this country. But it is £7,000,000 over our income. We must cut back.” The board’s subsidies for arterial roading within city and borough boundaries, and its interest in the proposed

on the present reduction, said Major Rattray, in reply to Mr 'R. C. Neville (representing heavy transport users) Neither was the maintenance vote affected by the cut, he said. Major Rattray assured Mr Neville that it was still the board’s policy to extend the existing sealed roads, but there were some exceptions. “Our carry-cver of £lOB.OOO from last year seems to be missing.” said Mr F. W. Walter (Waimairi County Council). “If that sum was added to our allocation, the amount would be

cation.” z Before the establishment of the board, said Major Rattray, unspent money reverted to the Treasury, and was lost to the roading programme. Now it went into a board pool for reallocation on a Dominion basis. After these new reductions, said Mr Neville, there would be no reconstruction or resealing on the SpringfieldPorter’s Pass section of the main West Coast road, and a £50.000 project on the Little River-Barry’s Bay section of the Christchurch-Akaroa main highway would be cut to £3500. These roads were dusty, shingly, and dirty, and the work was urgentlv required. Projects Affected Some of the projects on which the council reduced its first estimates were:— Styx river bridge, first estimate £lOOO. completely cut; SpringfieldPorter’s Pass reconstruction and sealin'*. £7500 (£ ); Broken river cutting realignment. £6OOO (£1000): Christchurch-Timaru main highway. Selwyn sealing, £2500 (£ ;). Christchurch-Akaroa main highway. Little River-Barry’s Bay sealing. £50,000 (£3500); Lyttelton-Motuka-rara road, Allandale-Teddington. reconstruction and sealing, £6525 (£ ); Rangiora-Oxford, via Loburn. reconstruction and sealing (over two sections), £6750 (£3000). £5lOO (£3800). x Waimakariri bridge, reconstruction and sealing. £9750 (£5000); Beachcroft corner-Rakaia huts. £3600 (£2000); North Kowai bridge renewal. £10.500 (£8500): AylesburyLake Coleridge. £BBOO (£4400); Am-berley-Mount Brown. £9OOO (£6000).