COUNTIES CONFERENCE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 81, 10 August 1923, Page 5

COUNTIES CONFERENCE

HIGHWAYS BILL. GOMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS. Per Press Association. Wellington, August 9. The principal business at the Counties Conference to-day wag the report of the committee on the Highways Bill. The following resolutions were passed:— (1) That, with a view to giving the Highways Act a trial, as far as the number of boards is concerned, we feel that the present constitution of one Highways Board should be accepted.

(2) The committee feel that as the by-laws and regulations relating to heavy traffic and other traffic on th© roads, together with the license fees, will have to be considered by the Highways Board, in respect to the roads created main highways, the committee recommend that such regulations and by-laws be made on the recommendation of the district, councils, and that the fees from licenses, etc., bo devoted to the counties within the group. (3) The committee feel that the restrictions relating to the number of members of the executive committee of the Highways Council be removed, so that the executive committee may be such as is recommended by the district council. (4) Th© committee feel that it is desirable that the representation on the district council should bo amended to have more regard to the size and valuation of the constituent counties.

(5) As to raising of loans, the committee recommend the adoption of the llangitikei remit as follows: That the Main Highways Act 1922 be amended so as to provide that the Government, shall raise the whole of the money required, and collect from the local bodies their share of the annual interest and sinking fund, with the following words add'ed: Provided such loans are raised m accordance with the provisions of the Local Bodies Loans Act. (6) That in addition to the powers under section 22, the committee feels that the Highways Board, on the recommendation of the district councils, should have power to grant, inspecial circumstances, a greater proportion of the cost than ts prescribed by sections 18 and 19 of tho Act, or that such addition be made by a grant from the Public Works fund. (7} The committee think an oversight has been made in not giving assistance to town districts which are separated from counties and have main highways traversing their districts. They recommended that provision be made for this omission. (8) The committee feel that any increase of revenue required for motor taxation should be obtained by an increased revenue from a tyre tax, but they feel that the question as to whether the tax should be on tho value or on the size of the tyres is an expert question, which would better be left to the motor tradejs and Customs Department. We feel, however, in view of the difficulties which we understand exist as to charging duties on the tyres attached to motor vehicles, that all customs duties relating to our motor cars a s well as to tyros, should be credited to the Main Highways fund.