DUNEDIN-PORT ROAD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19804, 1 June 1926, Page 10

DUNEDIN-PORT ROAD.

IMPROVEMENT STRONGLY URGED.

PROGRESSIVE LEAGUE’S RESOLUTION.

INEQUITABLE TAXATION

CONDEMNED,

At the annual meeting of the Port Chalmers Progressive League the question of improving the Dunedin-Port Chalmers road was discussed. It was stated that the road was in a very bad state, and that it could be improved considerably if the motor tax paid by residents of the hnrbourside were used for that purpose. The following motion was discussed at length and eventually carried unanimously:— “That this league records its protest against the injustice of the law which compels motorists to pay taxation for the upkeep of roads in other parts of the country while, in this instance, the road used by motorists between Dunedin and Port Chalmers is in a wretched state of repair; further, that the local bodies concerned in the upkeep of the DunedinPort road, especially the St. Leonards and Sawyers’ Bay portion, be asked to interview the Otago members of Parliament before next session of Parliament and point out to them that, to a considerable number of motorists residing between Dunedin and Port Chalmers, the road in question is the only road to the city, and that therefore the motor tax paid by them should in terms of honesty and fairplay be used to improve the road.”

The Chairman (Mr J. Y. Love) said he had pleasure in supporting the motion. When the Main Highways Bill was before Parliament and it was being very severely criticised, Mr Coates issued an appeal to motor associations and public bodies throughout the country to cease opposition and let the measure become law. Then amendments could be added to dispose of most local grievances. That course was adopted and the measure become law. Since then a number of very important amendments had been added from time to time until, in some places at least, the scheme was now working quite satisfactorily. Unfortunately, this could not be said of the local districts. For instance, how long might one estimate it would take to have a, good main road from Palmerston to Invercargill, whilst most of it ivas controlled by small, antiquated, impoverished, and conservative county councils? He ventured to suggest it would take longer than most progressive men would like to contemplate. The road from Fort Chalmers ao Dunedin was one of the many in a similar position. He thought the intention of the Highways Act was to attend to all the main highways first—contingent, of < jurse, on the county councils giving their permission—and then to deal with the subsidiary roads. But when would that occur? They claimed to be progressive, and they did not feel disposed to wait indefinitely and continue to see their taxes being spent on other roads, lue best advice he could offer the motorists of this or any othfer district was to join the Otago Motor Club or form one of their own. In any case, they should unite, because it was only by a strong united effort that the motorists would have as large a voice in the maintenance of the roads as their share of the taxation warranted. He therefore urged that the motion be passed, and that it be followed up by the league until something practical was done towards having some of their taxes spent on it.

Mr T. Scollay said the road from Dunedin to Port Chalmers was in a very bad state. That day a lady motorist had approached him as a member of the league, and had asked that the league take some action as the road was becoming impassable. Mr Love had suggested that they form a motor club and take united action. It was a practical suggestion. Meantime the club should get into touch with local bodies and ascertain if members of Parlia ment could be induced to get the law amended, so that motor taxes could be expended on the roads used bv the motorists who paid the taxes. The law at present stipulated that motor taxes bo expended in upkeep of main highways only. This law seemed to be fundamentally wrong, because it meant that a motorist in one part of the country where roads were not well maintained was being compelled by direct taxation to pay for the upkeep of roads in some other part of the country. In another respect the law was weak and unsatisfactory. Motorists were being compelled to contribute to the upkeep of country roads, but the country landowners were not being compelled to pay their quota. The result was that the main highways were not being improved as they should be although the motor tax was being rigorously collected. The Dunedin-Port Chalmers road ran through West Harbour Borough and Waikouaiti County. The county was not paying its quota towards its main highwav, so there seemed little prospect of this road getting consideration, although the motorists who used it were paying motor taxes. The portion of l he road through West Harbour Borough was in a different category, because as the law stood at present it was illegal to use motor tax for the upkeep of borough roads. The borough in this case was a sparsely settled district, especially at its north end, where the road was in the worst state. The St. Leonards-Sawyers’ Bay portion of the road was really in a deplorable state. If the tax paid by the motorists in Port Chalmers, Sawyers’ Bay, and St. Leonards were spent on the road it could be put in fair order. To get this done it would be necessary to have the present law amended, and the Progressive League should form a deputation to local members of Parliament to that A general discussion took place, during which members agreed that the present multiplicity of control in regard to roads should be superseded by a single authority. This would eliminate the conservative influence of local bodies. Motorists were paying for the upkeep of roads, and their interests should pet more consideration.—The motion was carried, and it 'vas decided to sock the co-operation of local bodies.