MORE MONEY NEEDED.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 23 April 1926, Page 8

MORE MONEY NEEDED.

FOR UPKEEP OF ROADS, PROPOSAL BY HIGHWAYS COUNCIL. At yesterday’s meeting of the Highways Council Group 15, in Timaru, Mr H. B. S. Johnstone (chairman of the Waimate County Council) drew attention to the-fact that at a mooting in Napier, Air If. At.. Campbell, ALP., had expressed the opinion that a much larger proportion of the cost of the upkeep of rdads should be collected from the owners of motor vehicles than is collected now. AVith this, Mr Johnstone said , that he entirely agreed, and thought' that the Highways Council should pass a motion on the subject. It was quite evident, lie-said, ./that if the roads were to be kept from deteriorating more money would have to ho spent upon them, and it would be quite unfair to collect any more from tho general ratepayer for this purpose; in fact, , the general ratepayer was paying up to the limit of taxation now. The time was fast approaching when it would bo impossible to keep up the roads to the present standard, unless they added verv considerably to tho expenditure upon them. During 1925, 22,300 motor vehicles were imported into New Zealand, and this number was being added to by over 20,000 vehicles a year. Alotorists, themselves, as fairminded men, must sec the force’of his argument. Failing a. greater amount being derived from them, the roads as a whole mSfet deteriorate, and motorists must realise that this would he contrary to their interests, as bad roads meant greater depreciation of cars, and lack of riding comfort. He moved :

“That in the opinion of this Group, in fairness to County ratepayers, anti for the benefit of road users, a much larger proportion of the cost of tiro upkeep of roads should be collected from owners of all motor vehicles, than is done at present : the money collected to be al’ocated to County Councils by way of additional subsidy on rates, such additional subsidy not to lie governed by the £'lo,ooo limit. applied to the present subsidy, but to be given upon all moneys ' collected by Comity Councils by way of general rates.” Air C. J. Talbot seconded the motion, and endorsed all that Air .Johnstone had said. He added that all Councils throughout Group lo had -advocated Ihe raising of a larger .sum from a lyre or petrol tax, and from what he could learn in moving about the country, lie believed it was tho general desire that more money should be raised in this way than by a general increase in taxation. The motion was carried unanimously.