OMBUDSMAN TAKEN TO TASK

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30453, 29 May 1964, Page 3

OMBUDSMAN TAKEN TO TASK

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 28. The suggestion by the Ombudsman (Sir Guy Powles) that some of New Zealand’s reading funds should be diverted to education brought two irate replies today. “In a search for something appropriate to say to the Education Officers’ Association, Sir Guy Powles has launched himself into a field in which he is dangerously illinformed,” the president of the Industrial Transport Association (Mr D. E. Jackson, of Auckland) said in a statement

Mr Jackson said the present levels of roading taxation were the result of agreement between the Government and private and commercial roadusers, both of which groups agreed to increased taxation to help to solve the country’s roading and bridging problems.

“A country which is constantly battling to contain production costs cannot afford the extravagance of bad roads,” said Mr Jackson. “Sir Guy Powles quotes the Director of Roading as saying that ‘every effort will have to be made’ to spend certain votes. This statement, taken out of context, ignores the seasonal and administrative complexities of roading, complexities which apply in various ways also to such other departments as education where, for a variety of reasons, ‘every effort’ might have to be made to complete a project before the fend of the financial year. “Surprised Public”

“The public will be surprised and a little disappointed,” Mr Jackson said, “that the otherwise impartial Ombudsman should tarnish the public image which Sir Guy Powles has so worthily created by publicly airing illfounded opinions to an audience which would be highly receptive to any such proposal.” He said a two-day roading

conference currently being held in Wellington also discussed Sir Guy Powles’s suggestion this morning and agreed that it was both illinformed and out-of4une with his role as Ombudsman. “Confessed Lack” “Sir Guy Powles’s confessed lack of knowledge about roading matters is in itself an indication that the public should disregard the remarks he made on the subject at yesterday’s meeting of the New Zealand Education Officers’ Association,” said Mr C. W. Knapp, director of the Road Federation, in another statement

“Obviously he does not know that decisions on State highway improvements are made by the National Roads Board,” he said. “The chairman of the board is the Minister of Works, members of the board are nominated by the Municipal and Counties* Associations as well as by commercial and private road-user organisations, whilst the Commissioner of Transport is a member ex officio.

“These members bring their wide knowledge and many years of roading experience to the board table. Overseas Experts “Road works are the results of continuous investigations by highways and traffic engineers whose reports provide the basis for the board’s decision,” Mr Knapp said, “and quite recently experts from overseas have also been called in for consultation on special problems of great public concern. The board is therefore very well informed when it comes to deciding what highways need attention and where.” Mr Knapp said Sir Guy Powles was also astray in quoting £3O million as the amount to be spent by the National Roads Board this year. “This is the sum disbursed from the road fund but almost one half of it is by statute paid over to cities, boroughs, town boards and county councils for the construction of roads under their immediate jurisdiction,” he said.