ALLOCATION OF COUNTY FUNDS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1429, 15 February 1888, Page 3

ALLOCATION OF COUNTY FUNDS.

Some discussion took place at the meeting of the County Council on Friday last, when certain repairs to the main arterial road were asked for.

The Chairman stated that the amounts expended on the main road would be debited to the riding in which the work was done. He considered this a fair thing, as each riding had to maintain its roads, be they main, county, or district road.

Mr Smith said he was quite satisfied that the portion of the main road passing through Teviot riding should be maintained by that riding, providing the funds - were equal to it. So far as he understood the Act, the revenue of the County had to be apportioned so as to provide, in the first place, for the main roads. The County had main road, county roads, and district roads. The main road was the first to be provided for. If the Chairman's contention were legal, it was all right; but, if not, any member of the Council might upset it at any time by laying the matter before the Government, who would repair the main road and deduct the cost from the subsidies. If the main arterial road was unfit for traffic through there being insufficient funds to the credit of the riding where the road was bad to put it in passable repair, was the road to be closed? He considered certain revenues taken pro rata from each riding should be put to a main road account.

The Chairman said the first thing they had to provide for was the overdraft. Had the Council funds to do that, let alone allocating for main roads ? Mr Livingston suggested tolls on the roads in the upper ridings.

Mr Smith thought it would be better to levy a heavier tax on the carriers who cut up the roads. He did not merely represent Teviot riding, but wished to do his best for the County. He was anxious to see thi3 matter put on a proper footing. The whole of the ridings should contribute towards the maintenance of the main arterial road.

The Chairman stated that some of the ridings had to maintain a considerable mileage of main roads. The public should assist in keeping the main road in repair.

Mr Edie said that if a riding had a large mileage of main road to keep up, and had not the revenue to do so, where was the money to come from ?

Mr Smith: The Government could step in and make the road, and deduct the cost from the subsidy due the Council. The idea of the Chairman would throw a heavy burden on one or two ridings. Mr Cotton: Tenders should be called for placing metal alongside the road in certain places ; and the road could then be let and the holes filled in when required.

The Chairman said that the auditor could come upon any member of the Council to pay the amount exceeding the limit of the overdraft;.

Mr Livingston urged that if the Council adopted his scheme of letting the surfacing by tender there would be ample money to maintain the roads, and do other works besides, as well as wipe off the overdraft. There were settlers throughout the County who would be very glad indeed to get the work at a small remuneration. The present system was too costly. A committee should be appointed to enquire into this matter.

Mr Bennet said that section 3 of clause 145 of the Counties Act, 1886, was very explicit in showing how the revenue was to be allocated. It would be well for the Council to keep the accounts in accordance with the Act. There were some of the ridings that would not have sufficient revenue to keep up the main roads, and in such cases h^w were the outlying settlers to get their side roads attended to 1 He was of opinion that the Council were in honour bound to provide for the maintenance of the main roads. He had moved in this direction shortly after Mr Clayton was elected Chairman.

The Chairman said if he were to carry out Mr Bennet's interpretation of the Act, the whole of the County revenues would be swamped in main roads. His object was to act in the capacity of Chairman to the best interest of the County as a whole. The only way he saw out of the difficulty was by adopting the course he advocated. He had lain before each member at last meeting a statement of the revenue and expenditure for the current year, and the balance was available for expenditure within the ridings ; and this should be expended as judiciously as possible. He was sure if any extra money were required for the main arterial road, members would do all they could in the matter. The member for Beaumont was well situated for roads, only one main road passing through the riding. The Act provided that the Council should first pay off their overdraft ; and until that was done there was no money to allocate. He considered the member for Beaumont was to blame for the state of the main road, as he Bhould have had turnpikes on for the past nine or ten years, so as to raise revenue to maintain it.

Mr Bennet said that all he wanted waß equal justice. The matter was then allowed to drop.