MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 77

MAIN HIGHWAYS.

ALLOCATION OF REVENUE

. WELLINGTON, February 27. Following closely in the wake of the declaration as main highways of 185 miles of streets through smaller boroughs, a Gazette notice will shortly appear declaring the 2600 miles of secondary roads in the counties selected by the Main Highways Board at its last meeting. The allocation of the revenue derived from the petrol tax provides for the distribution of 25 per cent, for assistance to counties on secondary roads, of which, as already announced, a total length of 3000 miles is to be selected. As soon as these secondary highways ar ? declared- the local authorities, will receive a subsidy on maintenance. At present no such subsidy is payable. Until such time, however, as the board is in a position to know what the proceeds from the petrol tax will be, and also what expenditure is involved in tire maintenancy of the secondary highways system, it will not be possible to subsidise construction works on these highways With the amount allocated "under tho heading of main highways adjacent to the larger centres of population, 25 per cent., it is intended that heavy traffic roads in counties near the larger centres will be surface treated, and where circumstances justify it the board will in all probability grant a preferential subsidy up to perhaps in special cases £3 for £1 towards the cost of such better class of pavements. In pursuance of this policy the board, a short time ago, approved a payment of a. £3 for £1 subsidy to the Waimakariri County Council, near Christchurch, towards the cost of constructing a better type of pavement between Christchurch and Chaney’s corner. Specifications have been prepared for this work, and tenders will close on March 1. Tri Wanganui the board has approved a £2 for £1 subsidy towards the surface treatment of the main, highway southwards from Wanganui as far as Wangaehu. In Dunedin at the present time the board is negotiating with local authorities in the city with a view to bringing about an improvement in the road surfaces for this town. The Hawke’s Bay County Council has made application to the boarC for the payment of a preferential subsidy towards the cost of completing the surface treatment of the road between Napier and Hastings, and the Waitaki County Council has requested the board to approve a more liberal subsidy towards the cost of surface treating- the road between Oamaru and Pukeuri.