ROAD POLICY

Evening Star, Issue 17850, 22 December 1921, Page 4

ROAD POLICY

ALTERNATIVE TO TOLL GATES. INCREASED SUBSIDIES SUGGESTED. [From Oun Paruamkxtaey Reporter.] WELLINGTON, December 21. Important rccominondatione dealing with tho'general question of toll gates in New Zealand have been made in a report placed before Parliament by the Minister of Public Works, giving tho results of investigation by a committee of three departmental officers. Their inquiries were, centred in Taranaki, where most- of the toll gates exist; but they point out that eight public bodies in oilier parts of New Zealand have applied for permission to erect toll gates. Those inexistence, all in Taranaki, produced a revenue of £11.285 in 1920, of which 11.47 per cent, was absorbed in the cost of collection. Tho distance of roads thus maintained was seventy-six miles. The committee notes that the general condition of the roads in toll districts has distinctly improved since the advent of toll gales, despite the increased severity of modern traffic, while the cost of construction and maintenance is much higher than formerly. A general survey of°lho financial position of counties owning toll cates show that they have rated themselves ns highly as could reasonably be expected if the valuation were up to date; but many of the valuations are so old that tho amounts are not .as great as they .should be. Local bodies are unanimous, says the report, that toll gates iiro a retrograde step ; lint in the absence of any other legal method of apportioning the heavy cost of road maintenance, and in lire present stale of local body finance, they have no other alternative. SUBSIDY RE COM MEN HATTONS.

The commit lee recommends the introduction of legislation providing that no future toll gales be, authorised, and that on coming into operation of the. Main Roads Bill or oilier compensating legislation all existing 101 l gates he abolished. That subsidies at the rate ot 5s in the £on all gem*nil rates collected oil the capital value or on the equivalent unimproved value Ixi payable troin the same date, but only in (he proportion as the actual rates levied are to the maximum rates leviable under tho Counties Act. The report points out that, as tbs maximum rate is ,1s 5d in the £ on capital value, a county rating of Id in the £ would receive only one-third subsidy, and other ratings similarly, Tho report suggest* a 20 per cent-, tyre tax, out of which subsidies as above be payable : tiro remainder to be voted to the maintenance of such arterial roads us are so declared bv the Government.

'Discussing the general effect of this subsidy system. the report states that over the whole Dominion the em<lay should not exceed hv more than £20.090 the total subsidies' already paid annually—viz., £150.000. Under this .scheme, there will Iks a tendency to form larger counties, with a higher standard of organisation. Ihe operation of the Main Roads Bill would relieve some of the counties of portions of road maintenance, and it is suggested that in such cases a- S per cent, average of the annual maintenance cost of these main. roads be deducted from the annual subsidy.