Council Resents Roads Board Control In City

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29990, 27 November 1962, Page 15

Council Resents Roads Board Control In City

“This is the beginning of interference from a central Government body in what is rightly the business of the city,” said Cr. H. P. Smith at the City Council’s meeting last evening after the Ministry of Works had written saying that the National Roads Board was not prepared to delegate full powers of control of State highways. Some months ago the council sought such delegation. In reply the Ministry said the

board was relieving municipalities of substantial items of expenditure on State highway routes, and thought it reasonable in return to retain the final say in the imposition of restrictions, particularly those affecting the passage of through traffic. “The competence of the local authority is not at issue,” the reply said. “However, it is not a national body with responsibilities such as the board has in relation to through traffic requirements and positions of uniformity on highways. The board is, therefore, unwilling to go further than give a delegation to the city for the purpose of imposing specific restrictions which meet with the board’s approval.” “In part of Bealey avenue and Sherborne street if we want to impose some traffic restrictions we must ask the Roads Board if we can do it,” Cr. Smith said. “We seem to have got to the stage where the board is telling us what we can do in our own city boundaries. “I am prepared to concede all the good the Roads Board is doing, but I think that if it wants to do something it should come to us and seek our views.” “When the central Government wants to take away powers from local authorities those authorities are entitled to know the reason.” said Cr. R. M. Macfarlane, M.P., suggesting that the Municipal Association’s executive should be consullted. The Mayor (Mr G. Manning): As a remit to the next conference? Cr. Macfarlane: No, we should not wait as long as that. We have not been given the whys and wherefores. The council agreed with the traffic committee that the Minister of (Mr McAlpine) should be asked to discuss the subject and that the Roads Board be asked to specify its authority for the control of all traffic matters relating to State highways within the city.