MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19697, 26 January 1926, Page 5

MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD.

TOUR OF SOUTHERN DISTRICTS. CONFERENCE WITH CLUTHA COUNCIL. The members of the Main Highways Board now on tour in the southern distriots, visited Balclutha on Eridav aitexnoon last, and conferred with the Clutha County Gounod. The . council made requests' for two new highways within the county—viz., one through portion ot Southland County, via Waikoikoi and Tapanui to Edievale, to connect with Central Otago, and also the road from Balclutha to I ailak°ln” regard to the former Mr Furkert (chairman of the Highways Board) said before the board could come to a decision the road from Waikaka (in Southland County) to Kelso, already gazetted as a main highway, would need to be revoked. Ihey could not havo two such roads running parallel. The matter had been temporarily hung* up pending- replies from, the District Council No. 18 (Southland). In those matters the board always tried to meet trie wishes of the people most intimately concerned. The Balolutha- r lahakopa . road would receive the careful consideration ot the board. . , ~ Cr Maginnsss spoke of the difficulty experienced in persuading the \ aluation Department to undertake a revalution of Gatlins riding, and Mr Furkert promised to bring the 'matter before the department, and endeavour to have the whole, county revalued, as some of the valuations dated back to 1914. , ’ Messrs Furkert and Jull urged counties generally to banish the parochial spirit so much in evidence, and do their best to co-operate with the board. In this connection Mr Furkert said that the board as a whole was against the highways being made a charge against the separate ridings, and ho had tried to get it made mandatory that they should be county roads, but had Leon over-ruled, and it was left to the discretion of the counties themselves. Mr Wynyard spoke on th© subject of heavy traffic licenses, and urged that the counties should get together and bring pressure to bear on Dunedin Oity Council in order to secure its share of this revenue, to which they were entitled under the Act. The County Chairman (Mr R. M‘lndoe) thanked the members of the board for their courtesy, and wished them a pleasant trip to Invercargill, whore they were duo to arrive in the evening.