BEGGAR-MY-NEIGHBOUR

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1924, Page 6

BEGGAR-MY-NEIGHBOUR

When power was given to local authorities to claim road-mainteii-; auce" contributions from other districts it was not contemplated that this should lead to a game of beg-gar-my-neighbour. The legislation -was framed, we believe, to cover^ exceptional claims, but the development of motor traffic has resulted in a complete alteration of conditions. "There is now scarcely a district which does not cai*ry upon its roads a great volume of traffic originating beyond its boundaries; but each district also sends its own traffic far afield. As a rough rule, it is probable that the balance is fairly evenly maintained in most districts. A hundred motors from county A use the roads r-f. borough B, and a hundred cars from B travel through A. But what is the remedy of B if A makes and sustains a claim for damage done to its roads by B's cars?' If we are right in our interpretation of the Minister's reply to a Motuek^ deputation; B can get its own b&ck only by claiming .upon A. This may lead—in r fact, it is leading now—to an absurd game of beggar-my-neighbour, each district, trying to claim from the adjoining authorities and going further arid fur•*n?L-* fi-?kM?_ th's purpose-* If IJ-g traffic is. distributed over the roads of A, 0, D, and E, the procedure becomes not only absurd, but wasteful in the extreme. Mr. Ccates appears to realise this, and lie certainly makes no claim that the position is satisfactory. Parliament must realise the absurdity, too, and pot wait, until a tangle of claims and counter-claims demonstrates that the law which met conditions fifteen years ago is out of date and unsuitable to-day. These claims must somehow be eliminated, and the only method of elimination that at\ present appears possible is to place in a separate category the roads which carry chiefly distant and not local traffic. This is the method contemplated :». the constitution of the Main Highways Board. Its application is becoming a matter of urgency, and we, hope that the Board will therefore receive all possible assistance in preparing detailed plans and obtaining funds for their execution. " ■ .\ .