UPKEEP OF ROADS

Waipa Post, Volume 42, Issue 3270, 10 March 1931, Page 4

UPKEEP OF ROADS

MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD'S CON-

TRIBUTIONS. HOW IT HELPS IN WAIPA : COUNTY. The subject of main highways a» d the maintenance thereof was a £^\ n under consideration at meeting of the Waipa County Council. jr>; The secretary, Auckland Automobile Association, commenting upon the return furnished by the county clerk concerning the contribution of ratepayers of the county to the main highways fund, stated that there was an aspect of the position which should be considered before the vaiue of the Main Highways. Board's operations . could be properly assessed, and that a county which did not apply to the Board for expenditure of main high- . ways funds within its territory was contributing much more than it received, but those counties which were alive to this position had obtained substantial subsidies from the Main ' Highways Board for construction work carried out in their districts, ancTnaH materially benefited. In the case of Waipa county the writer said that a practical illustration of what he was endeavouring to convey was available. The Main Highways Board had, he understood, offered a subsidy at a variable rate on the reconstruction of the whole main highway traversing the county. If the county proceeded with this work it wou.d receive for approximately half its expenditure a subsidy of £2 for £l, and for the other half £3 for £l, and if a fresh statement of the position was taken out after the work had been completed it would be found that the figures compiled would have swung round greatly to the benefit of county ratepayers. There was, of course, the additional point that Waipa ratepayers had benefited by main highways' exepnditure on roads in adjoining counties. The writer suggested, in reference to the extra 2d per gallon, that it would be in the best interest of counties and motorists that -\ they get together and endeavour to have this money expended on roads, as was originally intended, instead of allowing the Government to appropriate it for general revenue purposes. The secretary assured the Council of the Association's desire to co-operate with counties to the fullest possible extent. The chairman said that while the surfaced road would be beneficial to the whole county the county's cost would not be lowered. The annual ■ expenditure would not be reduced. Cr Fisher said the Auckland Automobile Association should be thanked for its past efforts and for its offer of further ccy-operation. The chairman remarked that the subsidy on rates, previously obtained from the Consolidated Fund, now came from the 2d impost on each gallon of petrol. The clerk was instructed to relpy to the Association's letter.