GOOD ROADS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2084, 27 March 1922, Page 4

GOOD ROADS.

The extent of the "good roads" movement in the United States is shown by the fact that in the five years, from 1916 to 1021, plans for the construction of 3 5,:i7 0 miles, involving an expenditure of over £120,000,000 from State and Federal funds, have been completed or sanctioned. These impressive figures comprise the main highways of 21 States, in ten of which the schemes exceed 1000 miles of roads. Texas has 3276 miles and Nebraska 2224. ln.#o State docs the Federal Government pay more than half the cost, but in many the local contributions are greater than those of the Government, and on the average' State and local funds represent nearly two-thirds of the total. The latter are raised in some States by loans, but in most cases the cost of construction is being defrayed from the yield of taxes on motor vehicles, while others use the revenue from income and inheritance taxes, contributions by counties and assessment on abutting properties. For maintenance motor vehicle revenues are used wholly or in part in 33 States, six States make appropriations from the general State revenues for at least part of their maintenance needs, and county funds arc? used in 10 States. A petrol tax helps to keep the roads in repair in 12 States, two appropriate money from the treasury, three use part of the income tax, and one the inheritance tax.