ROADS AND TAXES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 102, 27 October 1931, Page 8

ROADS AND TAXES

"T.J.L." writes that we motorists should be satisfied with the long devious route to I'limmerton just because the road has been improved recently (writes L. G. Austin). I would support hi- argument if we motorists were not called upon to pay special taxes which the politicians promised to spend on road improvements. W- pay 8d a gallon on petrol, and the motorists of Wellington must provide at least a quarter of a million pounds to the road fund. Last year only two big road improvements were • carried out— namely, the straightening p£ the Porirua to Paremata road (not finished yet) and the concrete surface to Seaview road. Therf has been some tar-sealing past the Brown Owl to the Rimntaka. The road between Masterton and Woodville is rough and not tar-sealed. No attempt has been made to give a direct road between Levin and Palmerston North. ''T.J.L." advocates the use of the railway service, so let us see what the Government has done to popularise it. Money has. been spent in m'.ny directions, but all the unfortunate railway traveller has got is five nev railway carriages. In asking for a bridge at Paremata we are only asking that some of our road fund be spent where we can get some use out of it. Surely we in Wellington are entitled to have even £20,000 of this spent for our special benefit. We are no. asking non-motor-ists to provide the money. Mr. Coates an<i Mr. Downio Stewart seem to be in a very generous mood when they can give away £250,000 out of the road funds for derating country land. Tho 'poor motorist lias no say, but is told thnt times are bad and h■■ must help the fanner, who in the good times has squandered his big cheques in buying land at inflated values and forgetting all about saving for a rainy day."