UPKEEP OF HIGHWAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21279, 5 September 1932, Page 11

UPKEEP OF HIGHWAYS

CLAIMS BY LOCAL BOROUGHS APPEAL TO PRIME MINISTER NEWMARKET AND OTAHUHU Difficulties of the Newmarket and Otahuhu Borough Councils in meeting the costs of their main thorough fares were placed before the Prime Minister, the Tit. Hon. G. W. Forbes, bv a deputation on Saturday morning. Newmarket was represented by the Mayor, Mr. S. Donaldson, the town clerk, Mr. H. Wilson, and two councillors, and Otahuhu by the Mayor, Mr. T. Clements. Mr. Donaldson stated that as the population of Newmarket was less than 6000, tho borough was not able to participate in tho distribution of the petrol tax. It was understood that such boroughs would benefit, from the Main Highways Board by having their thoroughfares declared main highways, but for some reason the board had stopped the main highway at Penrose, 'and although Newmarket carried more traffic for its area than any other local authority, it did not have a main highway within its bounds. A tally had shown 5000 vehicles passing in four hours, and about £BO,OOO had been spent on their roads, the interest charges being equivalent to Is in the pound on the rates. A committee had recommended that Newmarket's request to share in the petrol tax should receive favourable consideration. Newmarket was one of the bestroaded districts in tho Dominion. He did not know why tho Highways Board had declined to declare their thoroughfare a main highway. Mr. Clements said the position at Otahuhu was somewhat different. He oxplained that shortly before tho Main Highways Board had come into operation, tho Otahuhu Borough Council had spent £20.000 on building a permanent highway in accordance with Government specifications, and they had not since received the assistance they had definitely expected. They received a small sum for maintenance amounting to about £IOO a year, whereas a slwe in the petrol tax would give them about £6OO. If the borough had put down a cheap job instead of a thoroughfare, the Highways Board would havo had to pay maintenance up to £9OO and would still have had t.o make a permanent roadway. Ho asked that the case should be favourably considered on its merits.

The Prime Minister said he did not know how big a, question this might be opening up. He would go into the matter and see what objection there might, be to granting the request. When the Highways Board was set up it was stressed that it must be independent of the Government and the Government could not now influence the spending of the board's money. He wouJd discuss the matter with the chairman of the board.