STATE HIGHWAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22820, 30 August 1937, Page 11

STATE HIGHWAYS

ATTITUDE OF THE COUNTIES FINANCE MINISTER SURPRISED [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] WELLINGTON, Saturday The attitude of county councils toward the State highway scheme was stated to the Minister of Finance, Hon. )\ r . Nash, by a deputation following the New Zealand Counties' Association conference. Mr. A. E. Jull said that the scheme introduced two different controls of rural roading, though for many years the endeavour had been to reduce duplication of control as between counties and road boards. Actually there were only 2500 miles of new State highways, for 1500 miles of tourist highways had been under special control for a long time. The effect, said Mr. Jull, would in some cases lead to less economical working, through the purchase of plant and supervision costs for roads in counties which were fully capable "of carrying out the work to the requirements of the department. There was an important factor also in that the community of interest would be largely destroyed in a county, the north and south parts of which were without the connection of a through highway in which both had a common interest. , . . ]\lr. Nash said that he was surprised at the objection to the State taking over highways, for his experience of the public funds was that the counties would be given a considerable financial relief. The reason for the State highways scheme wis the failure of a number of counties to carry out the work satisfactorily and to achieve a uniform and satisfactory level of work. Though theoretically the Government could" compel counties to do the work as required or in the last resort do the work itself and charge the counties, in fact that could not be 'done. Still, the representations made that higher ciosts and duplication might be involved would be inquired into, for waste, whether by local or general Government, must reduce the real productivity of the country. ~ -