’QUAKE DAMAGE
... ROAD REPAIRS COST. (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, December 6. The question, of the restoration of the roads affected on the West Coast by the earthquake in June received some attention at the quarterly meeting of the South Island Motor Union to-day! The President, Mr. A. E. Ansell, M.P., made reference to a statement made some time ago that the High-
ways Fund was to bear the whole expense of the re-conditioning of the West Coast roads. The cost of restoration was was then estimated at from £250,000 to £500,000. These figures were regarded by motorists with some concern. A resolution protesting against the drain in the Highways-, Fund was passed, at a previous meet-
ing of the union. Mr. Ansell stated that he had discussed the matter with the Minister of Public Works during the Parliamentary session, and he had had a question ready to ask him in the House. The Minister had asked Mr. Ansell to defer the matter in order that he might discuss it with Cabinet. He (Mr. Ansell) had complied with the request, and had since been notified by Mr. Ransom that the Cabinet had decided to bear portion of the costs. The actual proportion to be borne by Cabinet had not been decided. Mr. Dobson, a Canterbury delegate to the Union, said that a motoi-ist who bad recently been through the district affected by the earthquake, had stated that the work of restoration would be comparatively easy. A suggestion was made by Mr. Haliday (Otago), that a considerable portion of the cost of restoration should be met by the Consolidated Fund, and that the Highways Fund should not be required to provide more than 25 per cent. .
Mr. Furness (Marlborough) was of the opinion that, as the restoration of the West Coast roads was a matter of national importance, a considerable proportion of the cost should be borne by the Consolidated Fund. It was decided to mention, in a letter to the Minister, that the restoration of the roads was a matter for national consideration.
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Greymouth Evening Star, 7 December 1929, Page 11
Word Count
342’QUAKE DAMAGE Greymouth Evening Star, 7 December 1929, Page 11
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