MAIN HIGHWAYS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 146, 21 June 1923, Page 10

MAIN HIGHWAYS

COUNTY COUNCILS CONFER

PROVISIONS OF ACT NOT ACCEPTABLE

(JT TIUQKAFB.— PUESS ASSOCIATION.) : ■ CHBISTCHTJRCH, 20th June. '. . la opening the South Island Coun- : : ties' Conference to-day, the president i " (Mr. K. A. Rodger, of Tuapeka) criti- ~ "- cised the Main Highways Act, express- ~ ~ ing the opinion-thai it had been carried ~•; without proper coneideration. It was ~Eonly right that the people" concerned r,r should have some say as to what wero ■- "•'. to be main roads under the Act. The ~ - district councils to be set up had power '- '■■ to say what should be done to these ; 3 roads. Mr. Rodger went into the finan- :. :. cial provisions of the Act at some : length, expressing the opinion that the ;■ ' Act was going to impose additional ex- ■ * Benditure on tho local bodies. '-'■ Mr. A'.'E.'Jull (president of the New j '.'Zealand.Counties'.Association) said that - ' they should not impugn the bona fides •'- -of the Minister. In view of the fact S"thai> the Bill was puf through in such '.:; a hurried manner, he was quite sure - 'that the Minister would accept any •' -reasonable suggestions. In th« Act ■ "there was the germ of reconstruction. ', If they) could bring about a grouping of contiguous counties for the purpose of making representations .regarding ■ •'• tha carrying out of the Act, was it not ■: possible "that they would consider the .'amalgamation of such counties 1; : buch '„ , a" movement was on foot in the caso ' ;of certain North Island counties. They ' "could confidently demand from the .".-Government their legitimate rights. '* 'He warned' them against tho danger of '- dividing their forces. He hoped that '■<■ -would enable the Minister to put a 1 between the North and South - Islands in the matter of legislation. '•• Let them concentrate at present on .. ! fundamental essentials, and afterwards ' they could work for what they wanted in the matter of detail*. ■ A deputation from the South Island •"• -Motor "Union waited on the conference Z "regarding motor legislation. "• " • The conference affirmed the principle • Hhat every consideration should be given 2 ."to! roads leading to railway stations or ' '■' -The conference carried the following '• -remits:—, "ThajAhe provisions of the Highways - ■•'Act are not acceptable to county coun- ■ -oils (1) with regard to the constitution ;' of the board and its powers; (2) with ■ regard to .finance; (3) that itsapplica- -'• ••lion generally is calculated to- have the I "effect of disintegrating our system _of - "local 'body government by increasing •• -their responsibilties on the one hand i'.ahd detracting from their powers reZ l^arding. administration and control on - -the other." . . . " " " "That the financial provisions of the .'Act press too heavily on local bodies and require revision before tho board - could properly function." .' ' l"That steps be taken to resist the • ■ jp.qwer ; of tne Main Highways Board, • -and that 'greater power be given to disZ "trict councils." ' ■ *;;; ;!'That the conference urge that there " '-bY two boards, one for each Island." Z \~ ;,"That, all loan moneys be distributed 'I required to the respective boards, 5 "each -undertaking to provide its own ?. "proportion of 'interest, sinking fund, 1 ::arfd charges." ;.• "That each board shall receive an al- • "location of moneys recevied by the i . Crown under section 14, apportioned to ; each by reference to the number of mo- ■ tor Tehicles legistored and in use in Z island." ; Z ; "That we protest to the Government -;> against any attempt at making the " Motor Vehicles Bill the • of producing revenue for roads, " t "but. that it should ' aim at providing -•' -legislation to properly regulate- traffic, ■■, "and should provide for an annual reg- ,.'. istration of motor vehicles and annual - license for drivers of motor vehicles; -• also that no new Department should ,'. ibs. set, up. to administer the Act. The '; 'cpnference suggests that the Police De- - ~part'emnt be the registering and licensing '". -authority." " T. ', "That, fees for motor-cycles be 5s and '- 'for cars 10s, and that the amounts colZ "leeted be handed to the local authority in " fwljose area- the vehicle is domiciled, less *15s per cent." < " '■ '.'That in the event of the Public • I Works Department taking over control ■ ;;of main arterial roads, the definition of ■'• "'iain arterial roads' should include Z "main roads other than those running con--7 "tiguous to railways, especially those •■ roads largely used for transit traffic." ■ J ■- ', "That as heavy traffic bylaws are re- ;, ."quired;.all ov«r New Zealand, tho Gov■i, be requested to bring in a .•■ '-.Bill dealing with the subject in a comS -.preheiisive manner,' and that the Coun- ,; .'ties' Association bo asked to draft a • -suitable Dill." '„" ''>That tlie Minister of Piiblic' Works ; /hp;.asked. to . define the position in re- ; "specb to money raised by the licensing - >of ■motor vehicles in regard to vehicles I "already licensed under local body byl "laws andlplying on loads which may be- •- :«c9ino main highways, or, alternatively, |~10 Vindicate where vehicles are licensed " the Main Highways Act what * of the licensing fees will be ." ...payable to the local bodies, the roads of Z £wjvch are used also by licensed vehicles; * further, whether a,ny proportion of - -the moneys raised by Customs duties as w Jtire tax may not be payable to local * ,■bodies', 1 already- controlling main roads - ■ with or without Governinenf, subsidy."