MONEY FOR ROADS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1928, Page 4

MONEY FOR ROADS

WHAT HIGHWAYS BOARD HAS DONE.

LOCAL BODIES’ PART,

“In 1923 motor-car owners paid nothing towards the maintenance of highways. To-day they are contributing £1,800,000 • a year, a welcome relief to local bodies in New Zealand.” Air M. H. Wynyard made this statement when addressing the Manukau Chamber of Commerce recently on the policy and activities of the Main Highways Board, according to a northern exchange. The funds of the Board were spent in each Island in proportion to the number of motor-cars, he said. Last year the North Island absorbed 62 per cent and the South Island 38 per cent. The majority of the District Highway Councils were working in harmony with the Board by rendering willing financial assistance and helping generally to improve the main highway. “But,” said Air Wynyard, “there are other District Councils, not many, fortunately, that will have to mend their ways before receiving any assistance from the Board.” He instanced one or two Councils in. the vicinity of Dunedin which were somewhat refractory and inclined to impede rather than assist in a progressive policy. Some features of the Board’s activities were the advice given to local bodies on the class of stone or metal in the locality, the sale of up-to-date plant and machinery for road-making, and the conduct of examinations of road foreman in high-class paving and general engineering knowledge.

When the registration of motor-cars became effective it. was found that there were 100,006 motor-cars in the Dominion, and the Board decided to 4 grant a subsidy of 10s in the pound. Subsequently the tyre-tax returns came in, which permitted of: the subsidy being increased to 30s for the pound. Further money from the petrol tax would permit of the subsidy next year being further increased to £2 for £l. This would place the Highways Board in the position of senior partner in all road work. Air Wynyard complimented the local bodies on playing the game. .They had ( been given better and 'more serviceable roads, but had rarely taken advantage of the position by i reducing their contributions. ■ He also furnished a satisfactory ex- > ' planation' as to the reasons ! why such large sums had accumulated :• instead v of being immediately disbursed. He pointed out; that in the first two or three years of the - Board’s existence the revenue carrie in freely, but it required time- to formulate definite and comprehensive schemes for laying permanent and efficient highways. A new Department had been required organisation. Jj Programmes had to be set out, local ™ bodies had to arrange for loans, surveys. had to he made, plans, specifications and engineering reports prepared, besides a host of other preliminaries and formalities requiring close consideration.

In the meantime the-funds were ac-cumulating,-but now that much of the spade-work had been done, it was am ticipated that the accumulations would rapidly disappear, so that the revenue of two or three years would- possibly he spent in the-- next 12 months. A total of 10,000 miles had been taken in hand, and on March.-31st last £1,729,743 had been expended on maintenance, and £1,600,000 on construction, in addition to loans to local bodies for the purchase of machinery amounting to £73,000. The road from Devonport to Waiwera would soon he metalled throughout; £50,000 was being spent on the Warkworth-Kaipara Flats section; Auckland to Rotorua could now be traversed fill the year round, and it would not be long before a first-class highway is 'constructed between Te Kuiti and Taihape, thereby linking up ' Auckland and Wellington on the Main Trunk route..

As an 'instance of the economic value to the community of good roads, Mr Wynyard quoted the Napier-Gis-horne highway, which section formerly occupied two days’ coaching. To-day the cost of. travelling on the new road had ben reduced by 60 per cent, and the journey could {be done in a few hours.