MAIN HIGHWAYS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1929, Page 2

MAIN HIGHWAYS

POLICY OF THE BOARD

The Ashburton County Council has received a letter from the chairman of the Main Highways Board (Mr F. W. Furket) acknowledging the receipt of the resolution passed by the Conference of the South Island County Councils in Ashburton on March 14th. as follows: “That this conference recommends that the Main Highways Board grant special subsidies to’ counties where highways be’ granted generally in the South Island.” Mr Furket, in reference to the first portion of the resolution, stated that the Main Highways Board granted special subsidies to counties where warranted. This policy had been adopted by the board since its inception. The board was given power under the original Act to arrange for the declaration of main highways as Government roads, and on this being done, the board had authority to pay higher subsidies than that laid down under the Act. The board had operated to a large extent, under these provisions in both islands, and was maintaining between 400 and 500 miles of main highways in the South Island on a free basis, which was 100 miles greater than was the case in the North Island. In addition the board was paying greater subsidies than £2 for £1 in other special cases. The payment of higher subsidies laid down in the Main Highways Act had not been confined to maintenance, subsidies having been paid on construction work in the South Island, and a largo amount having been spent on special work on a free basis. The hoard had agreed to pay £3 for £1 on high-class paving on roads radiating from the larger centres of population. With a view of accelerating the construction of high-class extend the £3 for £1 subsidy to a much greater mileage of highway than was originally anticipated. With regard to the second portion of the resolution, continued Mr Ftirket, a much greater percentage of the recommendations made by District Highways Councils in the South Island were approved than was the case in the North Island, but the terms of the resolution would he considered by the board when the next annual review was being made.