BOROUGHS ASK FOR HIGHWAYS SUBSIDY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 92, 9 July 1927, Page 12

BOROUGHS ASK FOR HIGHWAYS SUBSIDY

DEPUTATION OF 20 M.P’S. MINISTER SYMPATHETIC Press Association. WELLINGTON, Friday. Composed of 20 members of Parliament a deputation waited on the Alinister of Public Works, the Hon. K. S. Williams, to-day to ask that the same subsidy for main highways should be paid to boroughs as is granted to county councils for constructional purposes. Air. J. Linklater, Manawatu, pointed out that no provision for construction was provided for small boroughs, which felt that a great responsibility had been thrown upon them financially. In some cases that responsibility could not be met. It was asked that small boroughs should be placed upon the same footing as county councils, so far as the subsidy for construction costs was concerned. If that request were not gi anted, it would mean that in many cases where boroughs were small, the highway would not be constructed. Alost boroughs, he thought, would be satisfied with the subsidy granted to county councils on the ordinary 18ft. to 20ft. road that constituted a highway. The Alinister gave a sympathetic reply and, while not being able to promise to go the whole length of the deputation’s request, he indicated that an amendment- of the Highways Act would be brought down, in the direction of giving assistance to the small boroughs.