NO SLOWING OF ROADS WORK

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31221, 19 November 1966, Page 3

NO SLOWING OF ROADS WORK

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 18. National Roads Board programmes will be carried out as planned. Overspending to date this year will not effect the scheduled progress.

The Commissioner of Works (Mr H. Laing) said today that the overspending would not result in any change in the programmes. “They have had a good winter,” he said, “and have a lot of work behind them. “This situation often arises with reading projects. You have bad weather and fall behind the scheduled rate of progress. The pressure is then on to get the work up to date. “This year they have had good weather and are ahead as the balances show.” He said the only effect would be an easing in the rate of progress to keep it to schedule. “Expenditure is planned for a total year and this will still be their objective,” he said. To date this year the National Roads Board has spent more than £4,000,000 above its scheduled spending on State highways. With a State highways budget of £2,000,000 less than last year, the board’s spending is £2,000,000 up on the same time last year. The allocation of an addi-

tional £951,236 to the State highway budget by the board —for priority demands—brings the budget down to about £1,000,000 less than last year.

The comparative figures are a £18,232,036 budget this year and approximately £19,100,000 spent last year.