HIGHWAYS TAXATION

Taranaki Daily News, 16 February 1931, Page 7

HIGHWAYS TAXATION

COUNTIES SEEKING RELIEF ACTION BY WAITOMO COUNTY, BOARD UNABLE TO MEET REQUEST Very wide support is indicated, in the replies received to a. circular sent out recently by the Waitomo County Council to all counties in New Zealand soliciting support in relieving local body contributions 'to main'highways, reports the Te Kuiti correspondent-of th© News. The replies were read at the last meeting of the council, together with a letter from the Main Highways Board on the same' subject. Replies were received.' from over 60 counties in both islands. The following counties gave support to the council’s proposals, which include a request that the executive of the Counties’ Association meet and then take up the question -with the Government: Bay of Islands, Cook (Gisborne), Coromandel, Horowhenua, Hutt, Makara,. Manawatu, Matamata, Ohura, Opotiki, Otamatea, Pahiatua, Piako, Rodney, Rotorua, Taurauga, Uawa, Waiapu; Waikato, Waikohu, Waiinariho, Waipa, Waipawa, Wairoa, Waitotara, Weber, Whakatane, Whan-: gamomona, Whangaroa, Awatere, Akitio, Bruce (Milton), Cheviot, Clutha, Halswell, Mackenzie, Marlborough, Mauriceville, Murchison, Takaka (Nelson), Tuapeka, Waimairi (Papanui), Waimea (Nelson), Waitaki.

Sixteen counties decided to take no action in the matter.

A communication from the chairman of the Main Highways Board stated:! ‘With reference to your letter to the Main Highways Board requesting that the council be relieved of all contributions towards the main highways after March 31 next, until such time as the financial position improves, I am in receipt of advice from the Highways Board that the board regrets that its own financial position precludes it from taking steps in the direction requested. In addition to this, the taking over of all the council’s responsibilities would, amount to a complete departure from, the basic principles on which the highways scheme is operated. The Waitomo Council is not suffering from the present depression in any greater measure than is the rest of New Zealand. The question of any radical departure from the principles of the main highways scheme, such as this would involve, is one for consideration of the Government with particular relation to the question of finance, because the board would have to be provided with additional funds which would involve extra taxation.”

Cr. C. K. Wilson pointed out that Waitomo’© position was different from that of many other counties in New Zealand, in that there wa© ©o much undeveloped .land and a sparsity of ©ettleinent. Waitomo and similar coun-. ties were entitled to special assistance. . This view was shared by the chairman, Mr. R. Were, and other councillors.

The council passed a resolution asking, in view of the very substantial support, given by outside counties, that the executive of the Counties’ Association be asked to comply with the request for a meeting to be held in March to go into the question raised. The following resolution, contained in a circular from the Awatere County Council, was unanimously supported: “That all capital expenditure on new works not yet commenced be postponed until normal times return and that the Main Highways Board apportion the money thus raised as an. increased subsidy to county councils for the purpose of road maintenance.”