THE HUTT ROAD

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 71, 21 September 1927, Page 10

THE HUTT ROAD

INCREASE IN FEES THOSE IN FAVOUR SCHEME EXPLAINED A meeting of motorists who are Jn favour of the proposals of the City and Suburban Highways Board to raise a further loan of A 100,000, which will involve an increase in the motorists' fees of from 30s to 40s per annum, was held in the Concert Chamber last evening. Alter a full explanation of the proposals had been made the meeting adopted resolutions strongly supporting the board's proposals as set out in the Bill. The Hutt road "proper, saia Councillor H. D. Bennett, who presided pending the arrival of the Mayor, had been a source of' tremendous trouble until 2t was-paved, and with the growth of motor traffic an incessant cry came for concreting' or other treatment of the ■irrfaee, ■ ' Bituminous surfacing was adopted, and 'the road was put down ■with the assistance" and consent of the motorists generally. The 30s fee agreed to 'was not to provide the cost of- the road, but to pay interest and •inking fund on a loan for the carry- , ing out of the work. The paving was carried oat at a cost of £45,000, and ■with that successful work to guide it the board proposed an extension of the ■cheme, the real credit for that ex-s ■tended scheme-of-a-further 26 miles of load {being-due to Mr. W. T. Strand. With the-contribution of £1000 from tie local bodies it was plain that the cost of the original Hutt road would be quickly -wiped off, and when the {extended scheme was decided upon there was no increase in the fee; but there was an agreement that the payment of the fees should continue over a longer period. Four or five years ago motorists' fees amounted to £8500; last year they totalled £14,500, which increase was due to the greater number of oars. THE LAST LAP. Having completed the 26 additional miles the board decided to approach the motorists to see them along the last lap. It would be folly to allow the opportunity which now presented itself to drop, continued Councillor Bennettj for a. subsidy of no less than £40,000 would be available frqjn the Main Highways Board. ' The total cost of tfie proposed work, excluding the Ngahauranga Gorge length, would be £92,000. Of the £92,000, £34,000 would be paid by the Main Highways Board, which would also contribute £6000 of the £12,000 which the Ngahauranga Gorge load would cost. No doubt some members of the Main Highways Board were laughing up their sleeves at the squabJiling that was going on. EFFECT OF SUBSIDY. Because the board would be able to obtain bo substantial a sum from the Main Highways Board it was able to ■offer motorists 15 more miles, another 50 per cent, of the 31 miles already given, for an increase of 33 per cent. in fee. What was the' matter with motorists that they could not bring themselves to accept so excellent an opportunity? If the board's scheme was dropped then there was a definite end to the Main Highways Board's contribution of £40,000. ...-..,■■• NOT UNDERSTOOD. It was his firm opinion that the objections arose solely from a lack of understanding of the real position. When the Automobile Club's poll was taken possibly not.l per cent, of the payers of dues really understood the facts. The Automobile Club, however, was in the position that it was bound to present its case in accordance with the result of a hurried poll taken among a small minority of payers of fees. It was to present an opportunity to representatives of the 7000 motorists who were not members of the Automobile Club, and of the 1300 members of the Club who did not vote, to make their views known that the meeting was called. THE CITY PAYS. "But," said Councillor Bennett, "a frig junk, the bulk of that money, came from payers of taxation, tires, and other things, levied in the city, and you are not getting any of it, or very little of it, back. Now, under this scheme, there is an opportunity of getting a little—which little is no less than £40,000—back for roads about Wellington. What on earth is the matter with motorists that they will refuge an oppornnity.like this?" NO MOKE EXTENSIONS. ..In answer to that had been made.that if the extensions now proposed were agreed to the board ■would make still more proposals and ■till more after tha/, CouV-illor Bennett said that it must be the end, for the-proposals would complete all the first-class roads, and the board would Dot consider the treatment of secondclass roads. Actually, not all the £100,000 which the board was seeking power to raise, would be required for the work now proposed, bnt the 10s fee -would be quite sufficient to provide charges for £100,000, should it be necessary to raise the full amount. NOT A TRUE REFLECTION. Mr. W. T. Strand, Mayor of Lower Hutt, said that he was not at all convinced that the Automobile Club's small poll represented the real views of tho motorists of. the Wellington district. For one thing, no mention was made by the executive of the club that some of the "noes" were qualified, objection being taken to tho proposals to widen the Hutt road and to pave the cycle track, but none to the proposed mileage. If there was to be a national tax there was no reason why Wellington motorists should not obtain a rebate. He could see no reason why the scheme should not be extended, but many why it should. He well remembered sitting in the Automobile Club's rooms when the motorists said: "Give us good roads, and we'll pay for them." A voice: "Our share." £11,000 REFUND? ■ Mr. I. V. Wilson asked whether, if the motorists did pay another 10s per annum, the £11,000 refunded to the various local bodies in respect of maintenance work would be again contributed to the board's', funds by those local bodies. Probably a different story would have been told had that point been cleared up. Councillor Bennett replied that . ; could best answer that question by asking another: Why had the Automobile Club not approached thj Highways Board in that matter, instead of trying to cut the board's throat? The position in regard to the £11,000 was that unexpectedly heavy preparation work had to be carried out in certain lengths, and when the board tendered its accounts to the local bodies, some of them, notably tha Hutt County Council and the Eastbourne Bor ugh Council, replied that they simply could not find the money. That was a matter that could still be considered. . The scheme was not altogether a matter of now or never, remarked Councillor Bennett, for the boaH . could perhaps close down for a year and give everyone a little time to think things over. Councillor Mitchell agreed that the cost of roads for motors should fall

upon the motorist rather than upon the taxpayer who waa not a motorist. If the present Bill was lost it would be a very difficult matter to get another through, and the greatest mourners would be those who now opposed the proposals.

NATIONAL AND SPECIAL TAXES,

The Mayor, Mr. G. A. Tro.up, said thathe sincerely hoped that it would be possible for everyone concerned to reach a unanimity of opinion. Until the motor appeared taxation upon the ordinary ratepayer sufficed to keep roads and streets in order. The fact that motorists should be called upon to bear a share of the upkeep of their countries' roads was not recognised in New Zealand so early as in other countries. The motorists of the Wellington district went one better than that, and agreed to a special as well as the national tax. The motorists were now asked to contribute 10s more per year. Whether the other fellow gained or not by good roads, was it not a fair thing that the motorist should • agree to an increase of 10s per year if he stood to gain £10 per year? Was any national tax going to provide bitumen roads about Wellington? There was not a hope in that direction. National tax moneys would be expended upon national highways; certainly, such a road as that to Eastbourne would never be laid down out of national tax moneys, which would largely be spent in the counties. The national tax would not be 10s, but more like £5 or £10, and if it did come, then it would no doubt absorb the spec 1 tax imposed in the Wellington district. He was of the definite opinion that this was the last opportunity before the motorists of Wellington district to ensure the laying down of good roads about Wellington; that opportunity would go should a national tax be decided upon. Councillor Lnckie emphasised that the Main Highways Board's policy was definitely against expenditure upon roads within the environs of boroughs of over 6000 persons, but under the present proposals subsidies amounting to £40,000 would bo available in respect of the. county roads in the Ngahauranga and Taita Gorge lengths. The following resolutions moved by Mr. H. D. Bennett and seconded by Mr. Luekie were carried unanimously: (1) That this meeting of payers of motorists' dues under the City and Suburban Highways Act approves of the propos .Is made by the board ana urges Parliament to t^ss the Bill as amended and at present before the Local Bills Committee of the House. < (2) That a committee be set up to take care of the interests as represented at this meeting. (3) That such committee, consistingof Messrs. C. M. Banks, James M'lntosh, G. W. Slade, and F. Campbell, be requested to make due representationbefore the Local Bills Committee of the House forthwith.

At the conclusion of the meeting most of those present signed a petition in favour of the proposed tax and its objects, which will be presented to the Local Bills Committee this morning.