“Underspending On Roads $10m A Year”

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32018, 19 June 1969, Page 1

“Underspending On Roads $10m A Year”

(New Zealand Press Association} WELLINGTON, June 18. New Zealand was underspending slom a year on roads, the president of the New Zealand Road Federation (Mr C. C. Costello) said today.

Mr Costello told a federation meeting in Wellington that physical and economic research must be increased dramatically if New Zealand was to survive the 19705. Since 1966 the national policy had been to arrest road construction, he claimed. Expenditure was shifted to-

wards maintenance designed to preserve assets beyond their normal life. Mr Costello raid the additional slom could be provided without extra taxes by turning registration and licensing fees to the National Roads Fund. Mr Costello said he based his figure of slom on a projection allowing for 5 per cent annual growth from the $29.1m spent on construction in 1965-66. LEEWAY SEEN “This projection indicates that a leeway of s22m must be made up to date,” he said. In 1966 roading expenditure amounted to 2.6 per cent of the gross national income. In 1968 it dropped to 2.3 per cent World reading expenditure last year increased by 6.9 per cent, while New Zealand expenditure declined by 6.3 per cent “The age of unit transport is already upon us, ill-pre-pared as we are,” Mr Costello said. Shed Burnt—A 15ft by 20ft shed owned by Mr H. Bly, 66 Grange Street Opawa, was almost completely destroyed by fire yesterday. Two machines from Woolston were called to the fire at 7.44 p.m.