UPKEEP OF SIDE ROADS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 270, 15 November 1932, Page 6

UPKEEP OF SIDE ROADS

USE OF MOTOR TAXATION 12J PER CENT. ALLOCATION WANTED The Waitotara County Council is d*» finitely of opinion that not less than 12J per cent, of collected motor taxation should be ear-marked for roads other than highways, and carried a resolution to that effect yesterday. The chairman, Cr. W. Atorrison, said that a deputation, representative of tho Counties’ Association, Farmers’ Union, and Automobile Association, had been assured by the Prime Minister that the separate Alain Highways Fund would not bo abolished in response to the National Expenditure Commission’s recommendation that motor taxation be paid to the Consolidated Fund. “We must liken our roads to a tree,” said Cr. L. T. Jones. “The land is the root and the various roads the branches. One cannot get on without the other and w e must treat them all as one. Twelve and a-half per cent, of money collected in motor taxation should be set aside simply for side roads. To test the feeling of the meeting I am going to move on the sanip lines as the Taranaki County has done.” Cr. Jones, /hereupon moved: “That whilst appreciating the present financial difficulties of the Government and approving its action regarding the £500,000 taken from the main highways fund to assist balance the Budget this year, this council is of the opinion that the present main highways revenue should be definitely preserved for its original purpose of maintenance and construction of roads and bridges and that after providing for the reasonable maintenance of main and secondary highways a subsidy of not loss than 12J per cent, of motor taxation should be provided from the main highway revenue fund and paid to county councils to be applied towards the maintenance of roads other than highways, such subsidy to be distributed on the basis of the total rates collected for the preced-

ing financial year.” Mr. A. G. Goldsbury seconded. “I. think tho Taranaki resolution is on the right lines,” said Cr. Morrison. Hp added that care would have to bo taken, however, to see that deterioration did not set in on the main highways and establish a wastage of assets. If the main routes got so far back in state of repair it would cost a trmen dou.s amount of money to put then? right again.

Cr. Jones replied that whereas the maintenance of main highways must have decreased the benzine tax had not. If the cost of maintenance on the main roads was falling it was desirable to spend tho monov collected in taxation on the side roads.

Cr. Morrison said that the decrease in benzine used had to be taken into consideration also. The volume had fallen 13J per cent, and would be down <?tiU further next year. The speaker was in favour of the Taranaki resolution, however.

It was decided to generally approve if the resolution from Taranaki.