HIGHWAYS CONTROL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 585, 11 February 1929, Page 16

HIGHWAYS CONTROL

COUNCIL DISCUSSES TAX ALLOCATION

MATAMATA VIEWS (From Our Own Correspondent) MATAMATA, Saturday. The vexed questions of the allocation of the petrol tax and the nationalisation of the main highways occupied the attention of the Matamata County Council at its February meeting. The discussion revealed that though members were unanimous in their belief that county ratepayers were not afforded great enough relief under present conditions, there was a fear that any alteration by way of nationalisation of main roads would result in loss of control by county councils and a wastage of public money. Cr. Judd led the minority and held that loss of control did not necessarily follow nationalisation. Instead of working with the Public Works Department the Main Highways Board could still work with county councils by having their own small staff of expert engineers. Cr. Anderson, chairman, held this would create trouble similar to that experienced by hospital boards to-day through the Inspector-General being practically a dictator. Cr. Cox stated nationalisation would net get counties anywhere. A greater proportion of the petrol tax had to be spent where it was most needed, near the cities.

Cr. Judd held the principal point at issue was that local bodies could not get a subsidy from the Main Highways Board without putting up their own contribution. To-day counties spent £I,OOO and got £6OO back. Cr. Anderson: The Automobile Association is a strong body—perhaps too strong—and it is not likely to agree to money being spent on roads not much used.

The engineer, Mr. M. E. Fitzgerald, pointed out that there should be some differentiation in order to make heavy traffic pay a tax in relation to the damage done.

Cr. Judd, in a final effort, urged that it was impossible for counties to lose control, as if the Public Works Department took over they would have county machinery going over main highways to get to the by-roads, and a different set of machinery doing the main highways. It was too stupid for any Government to bring about. Further, without subsidies, counties could not pay high enough salaries for competent engineers and provide modern machinery.

On the motion of Crs. Cox and Rollett the council decided to defer the matter for a further month before replying to the letter on nationalisation from Tauranga County.