MAIN HIGHWAYS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 58, 12 March 1929, Page 8

MAIN HIGHWAYS

SOUTH ISLAND BOARD

APPROVED BY CABINET

Cabinet has decided to ask Parliament to authorise tho establishment of a Main Highways : Board for the South Island, independent of that in tuo North Island. , .

* In making this announcement yesterday afternoon,' the Prime Minister (tho Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) said that part of tlio policy as announced by him prior to, the General Election was that, if roturneel,'he would support the creation Of a separate Main Highways Board for the South Island. That policy had/been confirmed by Cabinet. When Parliament next met, the_ Houso would be asked to give authority for the establishment of the second board, without in any way interfering' with the finances of the North Island board. Already the allocations were separate, "It is quite evident 1 to anyone lookIng closely into the matter," saia Sir Joseph Ward, "that while from the point of view of administration the interests of the whole country are identical, each island had its peculiar problems, which required special treatment. The creation of the second board will not in the least make for inefficiency. The growth of motor traffic in New Zealand is so large, as it is in every other country in the world to-day, that separate and completely independent administration and control' are being brought about to enable the administration to keep pace with this remarkable development which must receive consideration. .

"In the changes we are proposing to effect, I have not at any. time lost sight of the work that has been dono under tho administration of the Act by the Public Works Department in that respect, both as to the conduct of the business of the board by the chairman (Mr. Furkert) and the general efficiency of the engineering side. I have personally the very highest opinion of it."