THE MAIN HIGHWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18889, 11 December 1924, Page 11

THE MAIN HIGHWAYS.

COST AND MAINTENANCE.

NEW ALLOCATION WANTED.

[B3t XELEGIIArn.—OWN COMIESrONDEXT. ]

MAETOX. Wednesday. The meeting of the Wellington exccutivo of the Farmers' Union at Marton discussed the Main Highways Act, and tho opinion was expressed that the interests of the country ratepayers required watching in the apportioning of the cost of maintenance. There were two interests concerned in tho Main Highways Act, tho motorists and the country ratepayers, and the motorists, according to the chairman, appeared to be getting tho ear of the press to tho detriment of tho country people, who would find that while they were saddled with the cost'the motorists would have the roads. Under the existing Act the Main Highways Board would contribute only one-third of tho maintenance cost of the main highways, ,aud the balance would have to be found by the country ratepayers. With good roads the traffic would increase, and the maintenance costs would rise. In cases where foreign traffic predominated on a main highway it would appear only equitable, he said, that the traffic should bear a share of the cost in proportion. In the case of the Wanganui highway, between Wangaehu and Wanganui, 90 per cent, of the traffic was foreign. He considered that the Main Highways Board should increase its grant for maintenance to at least half the total cost and recover the difference by increasing the tyre tax. Other members present expressed the opinion that something should be done on the lines suggested, although one or two felt that the Act had improved the position of road maintenance.

The following motion, moved bv tho chairman and seconded by Mr. McElroy, was carried: "That the Farmers' Union support tho County Councils in an endeavour to have the Main- Highways Act amended to. provide for the Main Highways Board contributing twd-thirds of the. cost of main highways construction and reconstruction, and half the cost of main highways maintenance, and that the Government be asked to arrange for the provision of the necessary loan finance for the construction and reconstruction of main highways."