MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1439, 13 December 1923, Page 5

MAIN HIGHWAYS.

To the Editor

Sir,—ln view of the fact that motor vehicle owners have been taxed for road improvements since 1921, and that a sum of at least £300,000 is expected to be available from this source for expenditure from April next, I desire to express the disappointment of motorists that no action has so far been taken to ensure the apportionment of a due proportion of this sum for road improvement purposes in l;he No. 2 Highways District. Other districts have long since established their Highways District Committees and made recommendations as to the roads to be declared main and secondary highways, and so made eligible to secure subsidies from the Highways Fund on maintenance and improvement work; but from inquiries made it appears that no meeting whatever has been held in this district, and no information can even be elicited as to when one will be held. It would appear that if matters are put in order and schemes lodged and approved in advance it should be possible to do at least,two months' work immediately ■on the . Highways Act coming into force in April next, and before the winter sets In. With* continued inaction in this district the possibility of a prompt start must be lost, and furthermore, it may be found that money in hand which would have . been expended here has been allocated to other districts that have bestirred themselves. The automobile associations nave long endeavoured to educate motorists to realise the profitableness from their own point of view of submitting to special taxation for roads purposes, and it is most discouraging to And this apparent absence of interest in making use of the very considerable amount already accumulated by such taxation. I trust sir, that you will use your best endeavours to have the No. 2 District Highways Council called into being, and the necessary recommendations made withput further delay.—l am, etc.,

F. ORD