BACKBLOCKS ROADING

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1930, Page 11

BACKBLOCKS ROADING

SPECIAL ALLOCATION MADE. “Although,” said ths Minister of Finance in his Budget Statement, “the aggregate of the annual expenditure on reading is now approximately £3,600,000, it is considered that up to the present insufficient attention has been given to backblock roads, where more expenditure would greatly assist land-settlement, and be of much benefit to the settlers in outlying districts, who, be it said to their credit, are carrying on under great difficulties. Expenditure on such roads would help the production of the country to a far greater extent than much of the present expenditure. Accordingly, the Government proposes to arrange for a substantial amount of the proceeds of the petrol-tav to be expended on subsidiary highways through outlying districts each year. To provide the necessary funds to enable the Highways Account to meet all these liabilities without disturbing the present financial arrangements of the Highways Board, a resolution has been passed increasing the petroltax from 4d to 7d a gallon. For the remainder of the financial year the additional 3d a gallon will, it is estimated, bring in £450,900. Of this amount, £316,000 will be required for the liabilities taken over from • the Consolidated Fund, leaving £134,000 for additional expenditure on subsidiary highways through outlying districts. In •a.’.full year; about ‘£3so,ooo"ebould be I available . for 4he-’~ latter ftifrjfcWftodoi ' i -39’$!fcb' ifW-y • ■■ 2MOWWS. fV■