FARMERS’ UNION AND MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Northern Advocate, 3 July 1928, Page 3

FARMERS’ UNION AND MAIN HIGHWAYS.

(To the Editor.) Sir. —I notice in tout issue of the 2Sth June, a resolution passed by a meeting of the Whangarei Sup-pro-vincial Executive of the N.Z. Fanners' Union condemning the proposals of the Whangarei County Council to treat roads adjacent to the larger centre of population (Whangarei). The mover of the resolution goes on to say that the action of the County Council in using rates from backblocks settlers on roads leading to railway stations in order to lift Main Highway Board subsiding* is retarding production and penalising these settlers to the benefit of the people in the city areas. It would appear to bo the considered opinion of the Sub-provincial Executive that main roads which are used principally by "through traffic" should be constructed and maintained; exclusively by the Main Highways Board. The chairman of the meeting stated, according to the press report, that the Whangarei County ‘Council .'proposed finding £12,000, and the Main Highways Board £48,000, to recondition and seal the principal main highways .adjacent to the borough of Whangarei. As a settler, I find it difficult to comprehend the action of a self-elect-ed body of men who, I am perfectly sure, do not understand the position, nor the problems confronting county councils throughout New Zealand. Before condemning the action of the local body, and advancing musty recommendations, I would seriously suggest to those concerned that they should make themselves conversant with the subject. One is tempted to go further and say to the executive concerned, "travel a little in order to improve your apparent small store of knowledge, ami see what is being done in other parts of the Dominion, especially in Taranaki." Let its members discuss reading matters with farmers in the back-bloeks of Taranaki and many other parts of New Zealand, where sealed roads arc the. order of the day and have been for some considerable time. If the Whangarei County Council is to receive £48,000 (or anything like it) of a total expenditure of £60,000, contemplated as the cost of reconditioning and scaling the main roads adjacent to Whangarei, surely from an economic viewpoint it is wonderful business. It seems too good to be true. What I want to know is: where does so large a contribution come from? Who pays it? If it is compensation for "through traffic" —which, in my opinion, is conveniently over-estimated and exaggerated —then it is surely a heavy toll on passing visitors and travellers. Let us examine the source of the reve--nuc. Just recently I saw in "Motor News" that the general taxation ot motor vehicles —including tyre tax — plus 24 per cent of the petrol tax, is devoted to the improvement and up-, keep of main highways, county councils receiving subsidies as high as £5 for £l. From inquiries, I learn that the total annual revenue produced by motor vehicles in Whangarei County is estimated at approximately £SOOO. Yet the County Council, according to recently published figures, received last year approximately £9OOO, and this year, from all accounts, anticiuates receiving from the Main Highways Board more than double that amount. Now for secondary main highways and the petrol tax. According to the act, I understand the revenue accruing from the petrol tax must be apportioned for expenditure j as follows:—(1) To cities and large boroughs, 8 per cent; (2) maintenance of main highways, 24 per cent; (3) secondary main highways (maintenance), 25 per cent; (4) small boroughs 4 per cent; (5) improvements of main highways adjacent to larger centres of population, 25 per cent. It must be obvious to most people that from an economic standpoint, it is high time, also in the public interest, that the roads adjacent to Whangarei should be reconditioned and sealed, thereby reducing the present high cost of maintenance to all concerned. The very scheme that the Whangarei County Council has adopted will, in my opinion, have the reverse effect to that urged by the. local executive of the Farmers’ Union, for the reason that unless and until some forward policy is adopted for the reconditioning and sealing of our main arterial roads adjacent to the borough. the future maintenance charges wll be so heavy as to reflect financially on the back-block ratepayer, 1 have yet to learn that the back-block roads are being sacrificed for the proposed reconditioning of main roads. Who arc the people that make use of the main roads in Whangarei County? Is there any main highway in the County that docs not give direct access to settlement? Give—were it possible —each locality annually the whole of what it produces in petrol tax, and what would happen? Nothing! Concentrate the expenditure as advocated by the County Council, and as the Act evidently requires,

ml radiate from the centre out into

tjhe outlying districts. To reverse the position, and attend to the backblocks roads, and let the main arterial roads go to pieces, is economically unsound. Would any responsible government, or sane body of people, allow such a thing to take place’ It’s too silly for words. Suppose the Whangarei County Council decided not to take advantage of that portion of the petrol tax set aside by law for the reconditioning and sealing of roads adjacent to the larger centres of population, what is to become of the roads radiating from Whangaroi? The council would continue to maintain at the present indifferent standard, which is not giving adequate return to those who produce, the major portion of the revenue. 1 take it that if the council does not take advantage of its share of the petrol tax revenue for such 'roads (adjacent to Whangarei), then the revenue will go to the more progressive counties and Whangarei County Council will continue to repair and maintain on a 30s to 20s basis—and, i.u Hie very near future, if 1 am any judge, the roads, by reason of the concentrated traffic, will bo completely worn out, necessitating further capital expenditure (more loans). This is a policy that would certainly touch up the back-blocks ratepayer. No, give me the progressive policy outlined by the ’Whangarei County Council where the assistance offered is £48,000 For £12,000, 1 fail to see that the ratepayers of the backblocks In any part of the county are being forced ito contribute one penny piece more than they are justly entitled to. 'My advice to the loeal executive of the Farmers’ Union is to put their own shaky house in order before giving gratuitous and unsound advice to those who have shown /themselves fully alive and capable of administering public affairs. —I am, etc., CRITIC.