BOROUGHS AND HIGHWAYS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 143, 20 June 1925, Page 6

BOROUGHS AND HIGHWAYS

One of the requests submitted to the Minister of Internal Affairs by the Municipal Association this week was that subsidies to boroughs for the construction and maintenance of main highway continuations should be compulsory. It was suggested also that the boroughs should have representation on the Main Highways Board. We are not prepared to go so far as the Association in requesting that the subsidies should be compulsory, but we are convinced that the present policy of the Main Highways Board in refusing grants to all except the smallest boroughs is neither logical nor equitable. As we have many times previously pointed out, all motors are taxed for the construction and maintenance of highways, but many of these motors seldom or never use the county roads. They run in the boroughs ajone, and they thus derive no advantage whatever from the expenditure of the tax which they pay. The weakness of the Highways Board's decision is shown in tie reasons by which it is supported aod the method of applying it. It is said that there are insufficient funds available for grants to the larger boroughs. That can only mean that other bodies are receiving more than their fair share. The method of application is entirely arbitrary Boroughs with a certain population may receive grants: those with more people receive nothing. Surely the test should be not population but the traffic on the road. lr it is highways traffic, the road should be treated as a highway. The Board seems to have a queor idea that because the revenues of the bigger boroughs are great they are in need of no assistance It overlooks the fact that the demands made upon these revenues are equally heavy, often heavier proportionately than in some of the smaller boroughs. It is because the boroughs feel that they have not had fair treatment in this respect that they are pressing for representation on the Main Highways Board. The Minister's reply l-h.'it "it would be ;i pretty big lioiird •"' is quite, beside Hie poinL There is room fur comity aud motor icprsseatatrrcs, juid the. -additisu

of two Municipal Association delegates will not make the board unwieldy. The municipalities have just claims to representation, and it should not be denied them simply because other bodies now monopolise the control,