TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20833, 27 September 1929, Page 10

TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT.

MONEY FOR HIGHWAYS FUND. INTER-ISLAND ALLOCATION. TProm Oun Parliamentary Repobtee.) WELLINGTON, September 26. I am sure the party aspect will not enter into the question at all,” said the Minister of Transport' .(Mr W, A. Veitch) in an interview to-day when declaring that some misconception seemed to exist as to the effect of the provisions of the Transport-Law Amendment Bill, which give the Minister authority to fix the highways fund allocations as between the North and the South Island. The Minister said it should be clearly understood that the money made availible for highways purposes would be on the same basis as at present; but with what were, in effect, two separate highways boards, it was essential that there -should be an independent arbitrator to fix the proportions as between the North and the South Island. The fact that it was the Minister of Transport who had to determine the allocation as between the ,North and the South'lslands did not at all mean that political control would, apply.

Mr Veitch added that ,he had laid it down as a principle that the Transport Department was to function in the interests of and for the protection of the motor traffic of -New Zealand in the direction of enabling it to become more and more serviceable to the people.