SUBSIDIES FOR ROADING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 247, 16 September 1935, Page 6

SUBSIDIES FOR ROADING.

POHANGINA COUNTY COUNCIL DISCUSSION. After discussing a proposal that the Government should be asked to provide legislation for the payment of a £1 for £1 subsidy on expenditure ou all roads but main highways, the Pohangina County Council, at its monthly meeting, on Saturday, decided that the discussion should be deferred for a month so that figures could be placed before the next meeting showing the costs of reading in the county, giving comparative figures of the cost of the main highways and other roads. A telegram was received from the secretary of the New Zealand Counties’ Association suggesting that _ the council should pass a resolution asking the Government to introduce legislation this session authorising the payment of a £1 for £1 subsidy on all roads other than highways. It was suggested that the resolution should be sent to the Prime Alinister, the Aliriister of Finance, the Alinister of Internal Affairs and the local member of Parliament.

The chairman (Cr S. J. Strahan) said that, in the last year, had the suggested state of affairs been in force the council would have been £6OO better off. The money which came out of the Consolidated Fund for the subsidy on rates came out of the benzine tax in any case. To have the subsidy as suggested would mean that the Government would have greater control over the counties, said Cr W. Howell. Public AVorks engineers would tell the councils all that they were to do or not to do. All the work would be done in Wellington. There had been no objection to the suggestion at the recent Counties’ Conference, said the chairman. Cr Howell thought that the conference, like many others, had been ruled by a few strong men. All the delegates' views could not have been heard. He considered that the petrol tax should be reduced Instead. That could be dealt with later, said the chairman. There were main - roads in the county which would never be highways, and to have the subsidy would obviate many applications for such roads to be declared highways. The petrol tax should be applied to the purpose for which it was collected. Cr J. Alackenzie said . the council would be very much aided by. figures showing the mileages of main highways and other roads, also the amounts spent on them. The present subsidy was 5s in the £1 on rates, the clerk (Air A. E. Orgias) explained. The matter was not pursued further, it being agreed that the statistics suggested by Cr Alackenzie should be taken out by the clerk and placed before the next meeting of the council.