WHANGAREI NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20130, 15 December 1928, Page 15

WHANGAREI NOTES.

GRANTS FOR COUNTY ROADS.

COUNCIL SEEKS INCREASE.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WHANGAREI. Friday.

The Whangarei County Council, at. today's meeting, received advice from the Minister of Public Works that it was impossible to increase the cash authorisations to the council, as desired. The Minister explained that to grant the request would mean a departure from the system of automatically allocating reading funds to all counties throughout New Zealand.

Members voiced strong disapproval of the meagre authorisations made, and levelled criticism at the Government roading system. The council resolved to approach the department again for a further cash allocation. The chairman said the county had always worked in the dark when dealing with grants, not knowing the department's intentions or how much it was prepared to spend. With a view to providing a more equitable distribution of grants among the ridings, it was agreed that the district engineer be requested to first obtain the approval of the council before making application to the head office for spending authorities. After a long discussion, the council decided to proceed with the scheme for tar-lining tne Whangarei-Maungatapere main highway. Messrs. McDonald and Mackay objected to the whole county having to contribute £266 a year toward the scheme, on the grounds that the ridings directly benefited, Maunu and Mangakahia, both rich districts, should provide the whole of the finance, other than the £3 for £1 subsidy made available by the Highways Board.