Avoid Deadlock In Heavy Traffic Fees Allocation

Northern Advocate, 4 December 1941, Page 7

Avoid Deadlock In Heavy Traffic Fees Allocation

Reallocation of heavy traffic fees in the confines of the Whangarei County boundaries was agreed upon by representatives of the lour local bodies concerned at a conference in Whangarei yesterday afternoon. At one period it appeared that deadlock had been reached and that there would be no alternative to recourse for adjudication by the Minister for Public Works, but concessions by the Whangarei County Council and the Whangarei Borough Council were accepted by the Hikurangi Town Board and the Kamo Town Board, necessary unanimity being reached.

The conference was the outcome of a request by the Kamo Town Board for reapportionment of heavy traffic fees. Figures submitted showed that in the Whangarei County expenditure on maintenance of roads during the two years ended March 31, 1941, was £49,143, while respective expenditures in the other areas were: Whangarei Borough, £20,650; Hikurangi Town District, £1036; Kamo Town District, £643. Bas£d on Expenditure Reapportioned ,on this basis the percentages would have to be altered as follows, fhe existing percentages being given in parentheses:—Whangarei County, 68.757 per cent. (60.5 per cent.); Whangarei Borough, 28.893 per cent. (31 per cent.); Hikurangi, 1.45 per cent. (5 per cent.); Kamo, .9 per cent. (3.5 per cent.). The application had been made on the grounds of increased traffic, but it appeared that that question did not enter into the apportionment, said the chairman of the Kamo Town Board (Mr. J. Makinson), who, with the clerk (Mr. R. Whitelaw), represented that body. The chairman (Mr. W. Jones), who represented the borough council with Mr. R. J. N. Crosby,,said that increased traffic in Kamo meant increased traffic on other roads. In reply to Mr. Makinson, the chairman said that if the conference failed to agree unanimously, the question of reapporlionment would have to be referred to the Minister for decision. Hikurangi Would Appeal “Hikurangi has studied economy ant it appears that as a result it will be victimised under the new regulations,” commented the chairman of the Hikurangi Town Board (Mr. D. H. Cochrane), representing, with the clerk (Mr. W. D. Thomas), that body. “It is most unfortunate that Kamo should have asked for readjustment at this particular time. I can tell you that Hikurangi is going to appeal to the Minister to ascertain if a morn equitable basis can be fixed.” Elaborating this point, he said that Hikurangi wanted an alteration made, at least during the war period. In reply to Mr. Crosby the chairman said that heavy traffic fees had to be spent on the maintenance of roads.

Mr. Crosby: Then the question of economy does not come into it. Further discussion revealed, that bitumen work, which ordinarily would have been carried out, had not been done because of the difficulty of obtaining the commodity and the high price asked.

County’s Attitude

The chairman of the Whangarei County Council (Mr. J. A. S. Mac Kay), who was assisted by the clerk (Mr. H. C. Hemphill) in representing that body, said the local bodies concerned had to assume that what the .Government did was wise and good.

He agreed with Mr. Cochrane that when conditions altered and a local body felt readjustment should be made, it should ask for it. The county council would welcome readjustment at any time, as it only wanted what it deserved and nothing more. The chairman: It is a pity Kamo threw a‘ spanner into the wheels when it asked for readjustment, as. otherwise, we probably would have gone on as we were until the end of the war. The meeting is not bound to the figures suggested and can reallocate them if the representatives are unanimous.

Mr. Mac Kay considered an adjustment should be made for Kamo at the expense of the county council and the borough council, as smaller local bodies required more consideration. _ The chairman: If the amount is altered for Kamo it must be for Hikurangi, too.

Until War Ends

Mr. Crosby suggested that the allocation of fees should be left as at present until the end of the war. If Kamo had realised the basis for allocation it would have been happy to remain as it was. Mr. Makinson: That is so.

Mr. Crosby: Kamo and Hikurangi should not be penalised because a readjustment has been asked for when Kamo did not understand the conditions.

Mr. Makinson: Under the readjustment we would have to meet increased traffic in the future and would have less revenue.

A motion that 1 per cent, each additional should be allocated Kamo and Hikurangi and deducted from the county council and borough council proportionately was sponsored by Mr. Mac Kay. The chairman said he would not support the motion. The borough council had dropped and the county council had increased.

The motion lapsed for want of a seconder and Mr. Cochrane moved that the readjustment should be left until the cessation of hostilities, Mr. Makinson seconding.

Breaking Regulations

There could not be the necessary unanimous vote on such a proposal, said Mr. Mac Kay. He was prepared to do a fair thing under the regu r lations, but he was not prepared to put the regulations aside. Therefore he could not agree to the motion. . The chairman: If we had agreed to your motion it would have been breaking the regulations. Mr. Mac Kay: Not if we had been unanimous. ..

Mr. Crosby: If the question goes to the Minister three bodies will be penalised because of Kamo’s action.

Whangarei. County would be the only local body to gain by readjustment, but he wanted to see the question settled, said the chairman.

Borough Council Not Squealing “The law' has been put into motion and I feel I would be letting down the people I represent if I did not ask for an apportionment near what the Government regulations provide,” said Mr Mac Kay. The chairman: The borough council is not squealing against the law. We are prepared to abide by it.

Mr. Mac Kay: I don’t like saying it, but you are squealing on the result of the law.

The chairman: No, we are not. The borough council is quite prepared to accept its percentage under the law. As an amendment Mr. Mac Kay moved that the county should contribute 1 per cent, each to Kamo and Hikurangi. This would leave the borough council allocation as it was and Hilcurangi and Kamo would be 1 per cent, each better off than on the Government basis, the county council losing 2 per cent, on its reallocation. No Unanimity

When the amendment lapsed for want of a seconder, Mr. MacKay' said he was disappointed there was no settlement. If the question went to the Minister it could hardly be expected that the county council would make the same offer again. The motion was carried and the chairman moved that the question should be referred to the Minister, the'conference having failed to reach unanimous agreement, Mr. Cochrane seconding. Opposing the motion, Mr. Mac Kay said he was disappointed none of the representatives of Hikurangi and Kamo had made any move for a settlement and had not put any proposals before the meeting.

The chairman: Before the war is over I won’t be surprised to see this revenue taken from the local bodies. Question Reopened

The motion was carried, Mr. MacKay and Mr. Hemphill voting against it, but a further discussion regarding the advisability of the local bodies settling the question themselves instead of referring it to the Minister resulted in it being reopened, the chairman asking what would the attitude of Kamo and Hikurangi be if the county council and borough council endeavoured to meet them, suggesting a contribution of 3 per cent. by the county council and 1 per cent, by the borough council to be divided proportionately between the two smaller local bodies.

“If you go to the Minister he will have to abide by his own regulations and that will mean that you will gel exactly what is before you in the allocation,” Mr. Mac Kay told the Kamo and Hikurangi representatives. Mr. Cochrane: We’ll get the axe. Agreement at Last Mr. Mac Kay moved that 2 per cent, each should be added to allocations for Kamo and Hikurangi, 3 per cent, being deducted from the county coum cil and 1 per cent, from the borough council, Mr. Crosby seconding the motion.

The chairman: We are trying to effect a settlement in the interests of the smaller local bodies. The Kamo and Hikurangi representatives conferred and then announced their acceptance of the proposal, the motion to this effect being carried unanimously as required by the regulations. The previous motions passed prior to the reopening of the question and the successful settlement were then rescinded. Under the new allocations percentages will be as follows: —Whangarei County Council, 65.5 per cent.; Whangarei Borough Council, 28 per cent.:. Hikurangi Town Board, 3.5 per cent.; Kamo Town Board, 3 per cent.

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