THE HIGHWAYS BILL

Otago Witness, Issue 3525, 4 October 1921, Page 47

THE HIGHWAYS BILL

EXPLAINED BY 1 AIR COATES. WELLINGTON, September 23. The Hon. J. G. Coates (Minister of Public Works) explained his Highways Bill to the Counties Conference to-day. The chief beneficiaries, he said, would be these who wished to travel at high rates of speed, and the taxation would be on fast vehicles, not on horse-drawn traffic, which had no need of special roads. In addition to revenue from tyres and motor licenses, there would be an allocation from the. Public Works Fund. Last year £230,000 was spent on main roads outlined, apart from £62.000 on road maintenance. The special fund would, he hoped, come to about £500,000 or not far short. He deprecated any practical interference with the work. As the Almister responsible, he would not have his effort upset by an agitation got up in any part of the, country, lie never proposed to take over about 2000 miles of road, the average cost of maintenance of which would run from £2O to £BO per mile. In answer to a number of questions, the Minister said double license fees would not be charged. Fees came under the AUtor Vehicles Act. He proposed to put the Bill before Parliament as drafted, and ask Parliament to deal with it. The Highways Boat'd would consist of the Chief Engineer (Mr F. W. Furkert) and two other departmental engineers, one of whom would be specially qualified on road matters. The other two members would be appointed by the Governor-in-Council. Whether they would be engineers or business men wotthl be decided later. Constructional work, such as deviations, road-making, and bridge building, would come out of Public Works Fund, and maintenance out of the Consolidated Fund. There would bo no rebate for motorists residing in places away from main arterial roads. It would be a straight-out tax for a straight-out purpose. The board could allow local bodies to do some of the work, and they could enter into a contract, and make whatever seemed the best arrangements. There was no provision in the Bill for taking over from local bodies special loans for road work completed. AA hat actually would be the percentage of the tyre tax he could not say. nor c-oukl he give any indication, as it was a matter for the Customs Department. Mr Gull, president of the conference, in thanking the .Minister, said ho doubted very much whether the scheme would come into force, but Air Coates had tackled a problem they would all like to see solved one way or the other, and they could give him credit for an earnest desire to do something. GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSALS BEING CONSIDERED. WELLINGTON, September 28. A conference convened by tlie GoodRoads A ss. eia t inn met today to consider the Government's pr< pcwals legavding the { main arterial roads Air AI. 11. AVyuviitd (Auckland) presided, j ministration should bo ill tlie hands of a | non-political body of specially qualified men. He considered that the contributories to the upkeep of the main roads should lie those using motor vehicles, the Crown, and landed proprietors, who would benefit by the provision of good roads. The delegates adjourned to the Counties’ | Conference to hear an address by the lion. | J. Cr. Coates i.n tlie Government’s pro- | ing resolution: "lieu the < ut|ftci ewe v.elj comes the proposal to intimlu o legislation : providing for the ni.-iiuteuan e of altered i roads, and expresses high appreciation ol

the efforts the Minister lias already made in putting forward concrete proposals for discussion.” Concerning remits dealing with the Appropriation Act on the question of subsidies, it was left to the executive to draw them up in a form suitable for joint presentation to the Government. Several machinery amendments to the Counties .Act wore carried, some were deferred. and others defeated. It was decided to urge an amendment to the County Telephone [fine- .Act to provide for sufficient seemilv to landers of money to enable County Councils to borrow for the erection of telephone lines in the same manner as to borrow for road works, etc. An amendment to the Government Railways Aci win advocated in the direction of providing that railwav freights on Australian hardwoods and other imported timbers be reduced to the same rate as that for New Zealand-grown timbers. This was carried after much discussion. A remit having for its object the abolition of ridings in counties except for representation purposes was defeated. Touching on hospital and charitable aid matters, it was agreed that tlie Government subsidy on base hospitals should be 24s in the pound, and in all other cases pound for pound. Several speakers referred strongly lo the inequalities and injustices of the present system. In the same connection, the following was tale text of another remit, which was also carried: “That the present system of making the levy for hospital and charitable aid purposes over a hospital district on the rateable value is unfair, in that in some districts the counties provide a greater amount of lew than boroughs, while the number of patients from counties is fewer than that from boroughs. THE BILL DISCUSSED. COUNTIES CONFERENCE VIEWS. AVELLINGTON, September 28. After the principles of the general provisions of the Highways Bill were explained to the Counties Conference by the lion. J. G. Coates, Alinister of Public Works, considerable discussion followed, and the following motion was carried: — The executive regrets that it has not had the opportunity of reading the proposed Alain Highways Bill, but only the precis as published in the press. Th 9 Minister, however, has stated that local bodies and all interested in the matter can take the printed statement as a clear indication of what is proposed. The executive has considered the proposals, which take away from local authorities the control of main roads and centralise authority; and it expresses its opposition to such proposals, both on principle and from experience. The executive feels that the carrying out of the proposals as to an increased subsidy—as suggested by the last conference, such subsidy to be o.pplicd to roads .carrying the main traffic offer a far more equitable and satisfactory solution of the loading question in the dominion. The delegates to the Good Roads Conference passed the following resolution : 'That the conference welcomes the proposal to introduce legislation providing for the maintenance of arterial roads, and expresses high appreciation of tho efforts the Minister has already made in putting forward concrete proposals for discussion. DISPOSITION OF TAX MONEY. WELLINGTON, September 29. The proposals for the construction arid maintenance of arterial roads was discussed bv tlu» Arteiial Roads Conference, and a resolution was passed expressing the opinion that if direct taxation was imposed by the Government local bodies should not have power, by law or otherwise, to charge a license fee or other perpetual, annual, or recurring charges on motor vehicles, except those plying for hire. It was suggested that the duties and powers of arterial road boards should be to decide which roads should be main roads and what form of road would be best for particular localities; to assist local bodies by information, and regulate the limiting of loads on any main roads, and where advisable prohibit traffic where and when its use would endanger roads. It was decided that all new taxation on motors should be earmarked for interest and sinking fund on the capital cost of the construction or reconstruction of main arterial roads suitable for motor traffic, and further for the maintenance of permanent roads when constructed. It was decided to recommend two boards of control, one for each island, representation to be given to local governing bodies and motor tax payers; the tyre tax revenue to be allocated to the two boards in proportion to the number of motor vehicles registered in the two islands; all motor vehicles lo be registered annually at a fee of £1 ; license fees to be eliminated, and all motor vehicles licensed at the nominal fee of ss. It was resolved that the conference urge the Government to increase the proposed subsidy to hospital boards in regard to local contributions from contributing authorites to an amount in the region of the sum originally estimated, and favourably considered by the department -namely, 30s 9d in the £ -so as to meet the cases of less favourably placed districts in the dominion, which are now prejudically affected by the suggested change from the original scheme proposed for allocation. The report of the committee was adopted recommending that it would be most prejudicial to iht‘ local government of the dominion for the State to take control of main reads. The conference again approved of the tax being imposed on motor tyres as a contribution towards road maintenance.