COUNTIES CONFER

Southland Times, Issue 18973, 21 June 1923, Page 6

COUNTIES CONFER

SOUTH ISLAND BODIES. THE MAIN HIGHWAYS BILL (Per United Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, June 2G. The South Island Counties Conference opened to-day, 75 delegates attending under the chairmanship of Mr R. A. Rodger (Tapanui). In opening the conference the president criticised the Main Highways Act, expressing the opinion that it had been carried without proper consideration. It was only right that the people concerned should have some say as to what were to be main roads under the The district councils to be set up had power to say what should be done to these roads. Mr Rodger went into the financial provisions of the act at some length, expressing the opinion that the act was going to impose additional expenditure on local bodies. Mr A. E. Jull, president of the New Zealand Counties’ Association, said they should not impugne the bona fides of the Minister in view of the fact that the bill had been put through in such a hurried manner. He was quite sure the Minister would accept any reasonable suggestions. In the act there was the germ of reconstruction. If they could bring about the grouping of contiguous counties for the purpose of making representations regarding the’ carrying out of the act, was it not possible that they would consider the amalgamation of such counties? Such a movement was on foot in the case of certain North Island counties. By the strengthening of counties they could confidently demand from the Government their legitimate rights. He warned them against the danger of dividing their forces. He hoped they would not do anything which would enable the Minister to put a wedge between the North and South Islands in the matter of legislation. Let them concentrate at present on the fundamental essentials; afterwards they could work for what they wanted in the matter of details.

The conference carried the following remits:—

That the provisions of the Highways Act are not acceptable to county councils: (1) With regard to the constitution of board and its powers; (2) with regard to finance; (3) that its application generally is calculated to have the effect of disintegrating our system of local body government by increasing their responsibilities on one hand and detracting from their powers regarding administration and control on the other. That the financial provisions of the Act pressed too heavily on local bodies and required revision before the Board could properly function. That steps be taken to restrict the power of the Main Highways Board and that greater power be given to district councils. That the Conference urge that there be two boards, one for each Island. That all loan moneys be distributed as required to respective boards, each undertaking to provide its own proportion of interest, sinking fund and charges. That each board shall receive an allocation of moneys received by the Crown under section 14 apportioned to each by reference to the number of motor vehicles registered and in use in each Island. The Conference affirmed the principle that every consideration should be given to roads leading to a train or port.. That we protest to the Government against any attempt at making the proposed Motor Vehicles Bill a means of producing revenue for roads, but that it should aim at providing legislation to properly regulate traffic and further that it should provide for an annual registration of motor vehicles, an annual license of the drivers of motor vehicles and also that no new departments should be set up to administer the Act, and wo suggest that the Police Department be the registering and licensing authorities, that the fees for motor cycles be ss, cars 10s, and that the amounts collected be handed to the local authority in whose area the vehicle is domiciled, less 15 per cent. That in the event of the Public Works Department taking over the control of the main arterial roads the definition of “main arterial roads” should include main roads other than those running contiguous to railways, especially those roads largely used for tourist traffic.

That as heavy traffic by-laws are required all over New Zealand, the Government be requested to bring in a Bill dealing with the subject in a comprehensive manner and that the Counties’ Association be asked to draft a suitable Bill. That the Minister of Public Works be asked to define the position in respect to money raised by the licensing of motor vehicles in regard to vehicles already licensed under local body by-laws and plying on roads which may become main highways, or alternatively to indicate where vehicles are licensed under the Main Highways Act, what proportion of the licensing fees will be payable to the local bodies, the roads of which are used also by the licensed vehicles and further whether any proportion of moneys raised by the customs duties as a tyre tax may not be payable to local bodies already controlling main roads with or without Government subsidy.