Petrol Tax Rise For Road Spending Urged

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28529, 7 March 1958, Page 8

Petrol Tax Rise For Road Spending Urged

An increase in the petrol tax was the only way by which money could be obtained for more spending on roads, said the president (Mr H. A. Anderson) at the concluding session of the annual conference of the Municipal Association yesterday. He had told the Minister of Works to do that.

“I think motorists, generally, would accept gratefully an extra ; impost on the petrol tax if they ; thought they were going to get better roads in a shorter time,” ;l said Mr Anderson. The association should make a ' strong protest against the decis- ; ion on routes for arterial high- ‘ ways passing through municipalities of more than 6000 population, . for which the National Roads ' Board would accept responsibility . for construction and maintenance from April 1, without consulting the local bodies, said Mr Ander- ; son. There should have been consultations. It was senseless. Decisions had been made and were about to be gazetted. Mr G. A. Harris (Temuka), the association’s representative on the board, agreed that that was the position. If something was not done soon to adjust the payment by the National Hoards Board to municipalities, the association would be “chasing” the Government, said Mr Anderson. The association had not hurried the Minister because of the change of Government and his full engagement with flood problems. The district roads councils had not been consulted on the arterial routes, said Mr H. H. Barker (Gisborne). Any increase of petrol tax could not be countenanced by municipalities until the distribution of tax funds between them and counties was rectified, said Mr A. S. Abernethy (Dunedin). The conference unanimously adopted a Mount Roskill remit that the Government be pressed to complete some improvement in the allocation of road funds to municipalities, and an Onehunga remit asking that the association have two nominees on the roads board. Other Decisions An approach will be made to the Government' fof a subsidy on works for sewage disposal and the installation of treatment stations. The Port Chalmers remit said the cost was high and ratepayers already carried a heavy burden. A Dunedin remit that the Government be asked to assist financially in maintaining the homes of elderly persons in receipt of age benefit or equivalent income was defeated. The remission of sales tax on local body purchases of buses and parts, water and sewerage pipes and reading materials, will be pressed on the Government, An investigation will be urged into mileage tax, heavy duty licence fees and sales tax on public transport services with a view to their eventual abolition. The conference referred to the executive a Foxton remit that the levy by catchment boards on constituent local bodies be abolished and that it should come from the Consolidated Fund as was done for hospital finance. * An amendment to the Counties Act, proposed by Papatoetoe, that

,no county town be constituted contiguous to or within two miles from the boundary of any borough was supported. The association decided, after ; discussing a Green Island remit, i to approach the Counties Asso-I ciation with a view to legislation providing that the standard of subdivision and amenities equal to that -of the muncipality apply to land being subdivided in areas adjacent to a municipality, with which it might be later incorporated. The conference rejected a Mount Roskill remit that the provision of learners’ swimming pools be regarded as essential capital expenditure when erecting new schools and that the pools be paid for in full by the Government Insurance Proposal The executive was asked to take up the question of the association establishing an insurance association similar to that operated by the Counties Association. A request will be made to the Gcvernment to arrange that special import licences be issued to motor importing firms when they are required for vehicles suitable i for local authority work. A request will be made to the D.S.I.R. to arrange for the testing of new building materials to ascertain their fire-resisting qualities in walls of commercial buildings. A Hamilton remit that substantial Government subsidies be sought where local authorities have to spend considerable sums in providing for plant to reduce pollution in rivers and tidal waters. was lost. After a discussion on procedures for compensation claims under the Town Planning Act, which Hamilton’s remit said was “cumbersome and unsatisfactory and requires 'to be overhauled.” the question was referred to the executive. The absolving of local bodies from claims for damages to property and stock when owners excavated cellars was approved. The conference decided to request the Government to reinstate the 25 per cent, contribution towards the cost of preparing a regional planning scheme and to amend the act to ensure that the Crown, as an interested party, be bound on the implementation of that scheme. Election of Officers Officers elected were:—President, Mr W. A. Anderson (Mount Albert); vice-presidents, Sir Leonard Wright (Dunedin), Messrs R. M. Macfarlane, M.P. (Christchurch), K. N. Buttle (Auckland), F. J Kitts, MP. (Wellington), A. , L. Adamson (Invercargill) and R j Braithwaite (Hamilton); execu- \ tive, Messrs F. W. Finer (Ha- [ wera), H. F. Guy (Kaikohe), G. , A. Harris (Temuka), E. M. Kemp , (Tawa Flat), W. J. McMillan (Waiheke), W. B. Tennent (Palm- . erston North), A. M. Lenton (Ro- ’ torua), E. A. Millward (Wanganui).