MAIN ROADS BILL

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6143, 29 July 1921, Page 5

MAIN ROADS BILL

arterial roads to be NATIONAL ROADS.

STATE TO DO NECESSARY WORK,

SPECIAL TAXES TO BE--RAISED

WELLINGTON. July 27. The statement made by the Minister for Public works to-day regarding his Arterial Roads Bill, shows that he has abandoned his original intention to work through the local bodies. The main arterial roads are to be national * roads, constructed- and maintained by the State with the aid of some special forms of taxation. They will be under the control of a Highways Hoard, consisting of Departmental engineers and other experts. The Minister intends that this Board shall be national in its outlook. It will operate in association with the Public Works Department, which is expected to develop'the main roads branch for construction work. The Minister has not stated what amount of revenue he expects to obtain by special taxation. There is to be a special duty on tyres and also a special license fee for motor vehicles of all classes. The Minister proposes that there shall be only three gradations in the license fee: (1) For fourwheeled vehicles; (2). tor three-wheeled vehicles, and (3) for two-wheeled vehicles. It is understood that .the fee in the ease of an ordinary motor-car will be something under £4 per annum. This flat rate charge is a feature of the Bill that is bound to provoke criticism. It places a heavy motorlorry, which is highly destructive of roads, on the same footing as a light runabout car. The tyre tax will hot remedy the inequality, unless the use of solid tyres is to he discouraged by taxation. Roads that are 'to be taken in hand first have been selected by the Minister as being the most urgently required in the interests of the wliola. Dominion. Other roads are of very j great urgency, but the list has to be : kept within reasonable hounds, if the new Department' is to proceed in a practical and businesslike fashion. The roads mentioned will take several years to complete, even if money and labour are made available in larger quantities than seems at present to be possible. It will bo noticed that the Minister has left the details of the scheme and the type of road to be decided later. Much ] preliminary work will he made with j actual construction, and it is likely | that members of the proposed Board ; will be sent abroad to examine the I various forms of construction that have j been tested in other countries. —Special.