ROADING VOTES

Southland Times, Issue 20831, 20 July 1929, Page 7

ROADING VOTES

NEW, PROPOSALS MINISTER OUTLINES POLICY REDUCED AMOUNT AVAILABLE (Special to tho Times.) Wellington, July 19. New proposals regarding the automatic allocation of reading votes were outlined by the Hon. E. A. Ransom in the House to-day. He said he had no intention of departing from the present scheme, but he intended to vary incidence of allocations, at the same time reducing the money available from £421,000 to £400,000. It was an honest attempt on the part of the Government to live within the country’s means. It was felt that £400,000 would meet the roading requirements of the country. Certain districts had been receiving advantageous treatment during the past few years and other districts had suffered in consequence. In view of that he thought it was his duty to amend tho system of allocation and endeavour to give fair treatment to all. In some districts there were large areas of land which were not roaded and never would be roaded and should not come into the calculation on which the allocations were based. He had also removed consideration of population. Previously areas with a big population had an extra amount allocated to them owing to that population. Districts that had the greatest population were districts which were best able to look after their own roading system and sparsely populated districts needed the greatest measure of assistance. He had also removed consideration of “paper roads” upon which no special value should be placed when the allocations were being made. Deductions which he had made in respect of these items had been added to other items. Miles of road in use, metalled or surfaced roads, previously had a value of £50,000 put upon them, but he had increased that amount to £lOO,OOO. The amount previously allowed in respect of local body loans was previously £50,000. He had raised the amount to £lOO.OOO. The estimated amount required to complete all roads as metalled roads had been fixed at £375.000 and the estimated value of Crown and Native land suitable for settlement had also been fixed at that figure. Mr Ransom said no attempt would be made to distribute political favours as had been going on in the past three years and he gave figures evidencing over-generous allocations in the Whangarei district, including the late Prime Minister electorate, the total amounting to £289,995 for that district alone. If it could be shown that any political favours were being handed out under his new scheme, Mr Ransom said he would have it put right.