WORKS AND ROADS

Dominion, Volume 17, Issue 283, 16 August 1923, Page 8

WORKS AND ROADS

CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS AMENDING LEGISLATION INTRODUCED The Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. G. Coates) yesterday moved the second reading of the Public Works Amendment Bill. Its provisions, he said, were mainly of a machinery nature, b’ut it was necessary to define how part of a public reserve or domain should be set apart for public works. When he was Solicitor-General, Sir John Salmond gave an opinion that existing legislation did empower the State to go through an education reserve, and make it public property, in the sense of public use. It was now desired to make the position clear. Provision was also sought in the Bill to empower the Governor-General to issue a proclamation, defining the mid-dle-line of the road or main highway, where it was desired to construct a road over land not previously acquired or set apart. Where disputes might arise, the facts would be settled by a court of arbitration. Consideration for local authorities was contained in a clause, requiring that they be given 40 days’ notice, when owners wished to dedicate land for a road. This would obviate the present liabilitv to interference with local body finance. A new provision in the Bill dealt with permission, in connection with timbei — cutting rights, to construct roads or tramways over private lands owned or occupied by Natives. It proposed also to extend the existing power of the Governor-General, relating to Government irrigation works, to private lands. Another clause invested tho Public Works Department with the same powers enjoyed by the Postal Department with regard to trees interfering with tranmission lines. Reserves and Public Works. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. T. At. Wilford) supported the Bill mainly. Regarding clause 2 (setting apart reserves for public works) he asked for information as to its necessity. He had no objection to its effect on Crown Lands, but, in the case of private lands, its passage would appear to mean that the Government could declare any part of a domain or reserve to be Government property, without the . right of public protest being allowed. Dealing with the clause relating to the defining of the middle-line of the road, Mr. Wilford urged strongly for the imposition of a license-fee on mo-tor-cars for the upkeep of roads. New Zealand, with a population of a million and a quarter, had sixteen millions sterling invested in motor-vehicles. It was li question whether, during the next twenty years, this amount would not increase till it was more than the capital invested in the railways. In America, where there were twelve million motor vehicles out of the world’s supply of sixteen millions, the necessity for good roads was recognised: in the State of California, 4,888,000 dollars were realised in a year from license foes, for the maintenance of tho roads. Hon. D. Buddo (Kniapoi) complained that there would he no remedy in law, if the M'nister issued tho proclamation, in regard to taking lands of public reserves ana domains. Mr. J. Hom (Wakatipu) said that tho Railway Department was arbitrary in its demands regarding the cost of culverts where such were required by settlers. Modern Traffic Problems. The Minister, in reply reminded members'that the principal Act gave tho Government several powers which they were reviewing, and that the Bill merely offered a means of exercising them. All parties were already agreed, he said on the question of the Government faking land from education reserves where such was needed for roads. As to the culverts, he maintained that'local authorities had their responsibilities in regard to the cost; it was unfair to expect the Railway to pay for all of them. Speaking on the general question of road and rail competition, referred to bv the Leader of the Opposition, the Minister said that the Government were fully seized of the problem of making the railways pay, as well as constructing main highways, independent of the competition that they must

expect them to exercise over the railways. Unless the Government was prepared to make adequate provision for the construction and maintenance of these main highways, and. unless Parliament was readv to meet the legitimate demands of the development of modern transport, very little progress would bo made. The tire tax would contribute a certain amount of revenue : there was also provision for the Consolidated Fund .supplementing it. Yet these might not meet the nosition. They were struggling along, endeavouring to find a way out of the : r difficultyo. and everyone should be prepared Co accept fiieir share of the responsibility. Motorists generally were now in agreement as to the necessity of some kind of tax. He did not altogether subscribe to tho opinion that concrete roads should be generally constructed. The expenditure of £6OOO a mile was a serious aspect of that problem. The whole thing was governed by financial considerations, and to construct concrete main roads throughout the country would involve serious financing. Roads and railways afforded the best and most effective means for modern transport. There must be co-ordina-tion by all parties affected : otherwise, an economic situation mrtht develop that might be verv difficult to handle. It was economically unsound to have a branch railway line not paying, while the road was carrying the bulk of the traffic.

The-Minister, in reply to strong representations by Sir John Luke (Wellington North), agreed to drop clause 7--cost of maintaining drains passing through railway lands—as he agreed that the clause might bo construed to throw tho whole financial liability on local authorities.

The Bill was road a second time. In Committee the Bill was reported without amendment and read a third time. WASHING-UP BILL ENTRIES CLOSE TO-NIGHT The Alinister iq Charge of Legislative Departments (Hon. \V. Nosworthy) announced in Parliament last night that no further elauses would be inserted in the Washing-Up Bill alter this evening. A large number of proposals had been received, and the time of the Drafting Committee would be fullv occupied with vhat was already in 'hand, as there were some 90 clauses. DEATH DUTIES BILL With the exception of two clauses, which were dropped, the Death Duties Amendment Bill was reported and read a third time. <