Neglected Highway Rouses Motorists

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 688, 13 June 1929, Page 16

Neglected Highway Rouses Motorists

NGARUAWAHIA SECTION WAIPA COUNTY CRITICISED Strong disapproval of the condition of the Hamilton-Ngarua-wahia section of the main Highway to the Waikato was expressed at last evening’s meeting of the Auckland Automobile Association. The meeting also expressed the opinion that the Waipa County Council should accept the Main Highways Board’s offer of a three-to-one subsidy for the maintenance of the road. The Hamilton agent of the association reported that the road was in a very unsatisfactory condition, and that the Waipa County Council had refused a three-to-one subsidy from the Main Highways Board, requesting a four-to-one subsidy. COUNTY’S VIEW Mr. M. H. Wynyard, motorist’s representative on the Main Highways Board, said that the view of the Waipa County Council was that the road would have to be maintained without subsidy. The chairman of the Main Highways Board had pointed out that a three-to-one subsidy was an economic one. The council had not been willing to agree to that. The hoard had replied that if the county were not willing to maintain the road satisfactorily, it would be compelled to exercise its powers. The reason for the Main Highways Board being averse from giving the four-to-one subsidy was that the Waipa County was a comparatively rich one, and that any step in that direction would mean that other counties would be entitled to similar consideration.

BREAKING THE SYSTEM The chairman, Mr. A. Grayson, said that there appeared to be a movement among the local bodies to break down the board’s system of subsidies. He moved that. the association make it clear to the Waipa County that it considered the Main Highways Board’s subsidy of three-to-one was an ample one. Mr. Grayson later said that her wished to add to his motion that the road be given adequate maintenance, and that such maintenance be Insisted on by the Main Highways Board. The motion was carried, and it was decided to meet the Waipa County Council on the question, and with the Hamilton agency, to try to awaken the Waipa ratepayers to a sense of thenresponsibilities.