HOW PETROL TAX WILL BE SPENT

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6544, 28 February 1928, Page 7

HOW PETROL TAX WILL BE SPENT

Secondary Highways And Roads Near Towns

WANGABHU ROAD TO BE IMPROVED (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON. Last Night. Following closely in tho wake of the declaration as main highways of 185 miles of streets through smaller boroughs, a Gazette notice will shortly appear declaring the 2,600 miles of secondary roads in counties selected by the Main Highways Board at its last , meeting. The allocation of the revenue derived from the petrol tax provides for the distribution of 25 per cent, for assistance to counties on secondary roads of which ,as already announced, a total length of 3000 miles is to bo erected as soon as these secondary highways are declared. Tho local authorities will receive a subsidy on maintenance. At present no such subsidy is payable. Until such time, however, as tho Board Is in a position to know what the proceeds from the petrol tax will he and also what expenditure is involved in tho maintenance of the secondary highways system it will not be possible to subsidise construction works on these highways. With tho amount allocated under tho heading of “main highways adjacent to the larger centres of population, 25 per cent.,” It is intended that heavy, traffic roads in counties near the.larger centres will bo sur-face-treated and where circumstances justify it the Board will in all probability grant a preferential subsidy up to perhaps, in special cases, £3 for £1 towards Uic cost of such better class of pavement. In pursuance of this policy the Board a short ago approved a payment of-a-£3 for £1 subsidy to the Walmairl County Council near Christchurch and Chainey’s corner. Christchurch towards the cost of constructing a better type of pavement between Christchurch and Chainey’s corner. Specifications have been prepared for this work and tenders will close on March 1. In Wanganui tho Board' has approved a £2 for £l subsidy towards the surface treatment of tho main highway southwards from Wanganui as far as, Wangaehu. In Dunedin at the present time the Board is negotiating with local authorities in tho city with a view to bringing about an improvement in the road surface for this town. The Hawke’s Bay County has made application to the Board for the payment of tho perferentlal subsidy towards the cost of completing the surface treatment of the road beween Napier and Hastings. In the South the Waitald County Council has requested the Board to approve a more liberal subsidy towards the cost of surface-treating tho road between Oarnaru and Pukeriri.