Restoration of N.R.B. Funds sought

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32540, 25 February 1971, Page 8

Restoration of N.R.B. Funds sought

Restoration to the National Roads Board of that part of motor taxation now retained in the Consolidated Fund is requested of the Government in a remit which was passed unanimously by the annual meeting of Ward 11 of the Counties’ Association in Christchurch yesterday.

The measure was necessary partly to counteract erosion of the Roads Board funds caused by inflation, said an explanatory note to the Oxford County Council remit.

Tax on motor spirit was increased by 3.3 c in 1967 and the whole amount credited to the Consolidated Fund until April, 1969, when 2.3 c was restored to the National Roads Fund. Also in 1962 money received in respect of the registration and licensing of motor vehicles was made payable to the Consolidated Revenue Account rather than to the roads fund. The ward rejected an Ellesmere County remit seeking the removal of the local authorities petrol tax from diesel fuel. The note to the remit said the act had added to the burden of farmers, and the debt-ridden municipal bus services would also have to “dig deeper into the ratepayer’s purse.” The Ellesmere remit did not go far enough, the Waimairi county chairman (Cr

D. B. Rich) said. “We are just playing around with an act that is unsatisfactory.” An Oxford County remit seeking a minimum standard width, set by the National Roads Board, of 18ft seal for all sealed roads also failed. Speakers said it would create particular difficulties in hilly and rocky areas, where the cost of providing this width of seal would be “astronomical.” Also lost was an Akaroa County remit that councils be permitted to levy 4 per cent on the market value of each new subdivision allotment for improvement and extension of the existing water supply. Speakers said counties had sufficient powers in this direction now, and could require complete reticulation installed if they so wished. Remits carried included one that legislation in the Fire Services Act, 1949, and the Forest and Rural Fires Act, 1955, be consolidated, one that councils be permitted to pay councillors less than $5 a meeting for council and committee meetings, and one that councils be permitted to make loans to sporting bodies for amenities on land owned by the bodies and not vested in councils. The note to the Waimairi County remit on payments to councillors said 1970 legislation made no provision for councillors to be paid less than $5 a meeting; they had to take this or nothing. The note to the remit on sporting bodies—also a Waimairi remit—said that under present legislation councils could make loans only if the land in question was held by or vested in the council. But many clubs wished to buy their own land, and in so doing were at present denied financial assistance.

A late Heathcote County Council remit seeking legislation for owners of stock or poultry to impound dogs at large among the stock until the ownership of the dog was established was referred to the association’s executive committee.

Officers re-elected by the ward were: chairman, ,Cr C. N. Mackenzie (Waipara); deputy chairman, Cr W. E. Walker (Ellesmere); ward secretary, Mr B. McManus (Waipara county clerk).