HIGHWAYS FUNDS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 110, 9 April 1934, Page 6

HIGHWAYS FUNDS.

THE £500,000 APPROPRIATION. WILL IT BE RETURNED ? (Bv Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, April 9. Motorists have recently put strong pressure on the Minister of Finance to secure from him some indication of his future intentions regarding the appropriation of £500,000 from petrol fax revenue, which would ordinarily go into the Main Highways Board funds but has for two years been diverted into the general revenue. This provision for the relief of the general taxpayer has greatly restricted the maintenance expenditure on highways. It exceeded a million, in 1929-30, but dropped in 1932-33 to £600,324. The Minister of Finance has not been able to satisfy the motoi-ists’ representatives, and when he was asked by the “Standard’s” correspondent what reply he had been able to give them he stated that he had informed the deputation that it was too early to indicate the Government’s intentions. “One can only dealt with it,’" added Mr Coates, “when we get a clear indication of the results of the past financial year, and begin to frame estimates of expenditure for the ensuing year.” ■