BACK COUNTRY ACCESS DIFFICULT PROBLEM FOR COUNTY COUNCILS

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 November 1948, Page 2

BACK COUNTRY ACCESS DIFFICULT PROBLEM FOR COUNTY COUNCILS

“The question of access is probably the most important feature of hill-country development and to the uninitiated is largely taken as a matter of course without much thought of the economic and financial implications involved,” stated evidence presented to the Royal Commission on the Sheep Industry presented on behalf of the New Zealand Counties’ Association. v "The development and productivity of the farms is an important and essential requirement in the provision and maintenance of adequate reading, this is general in its application and does not apply only to hill-country lands. The national expenditure of New Zealand today has reached such dimensions that the land cannot continue to meet the excessive demands being imposed by various phases of taxation and rating. "The New Zealand Counties’ Association has pressed for a greater recognition of the problem for a number of years, and with rapidly increasing costs and the development of heavy traffic, the stage has been reached where the roads are being maintained only with the greatest difficulty, while in many cases deterioration is apparrent. "A feature of road maintenance which is rarely recognised is not density of traffic but the effects of the weather, and also the excessive axle loads on vehicles. In hill lands in particular, slips scour the country and wash-outs are many times more costly to repair than wear caused by traffic. Long lengths of road can be instanced where the maintenance costs have been from £l3O to £l5O a mile with a traffic density of under 30 vehicles a day. Inquiries by the Commission will disclose that even the Main Highways Board is seriously at the rapidly mounting costs of road maintenance, as are also members of the Municipal Association. SUBSIDY ON EXPENDITURE. “The New Zealand Counties* Association for a number of years has asked, without success, for a £1 for £1 subsidy on expenditure on roads other than main highways, but today this is most inadequate and unless the Government will recognise the urgency of the problem the roads in many instances must further deteriorate. If this eventuates the back or hill-country roads will be the first to suffer. "The New Zealand Counties’ Association is convinced that its claim to a substantial increase in the share of motor and petrol taxation is fair and equitable.” Urban bodies received subsidies from the Main Highways Board as well as a proportion of the petrol tax. In 1944-45 they received £28,312 in highways subsidies and £115,930 from petrol tax, just over four times the amount of the highways subsidy. In the same year the counties received from the Main Highways Board £401,501. The distribution of roads was: Urban 3625 miles; county 43,932 miles. Both figures are exclusive of State highways. Figures in the evidence showed that although main highways and urban roads had an increa ? in tar allocation of 48 per cent and 37 per cent., other roads had a reduction of three per cent., while urban rates had increased by only 12 p’er cent., against an increase of expenditure from county rates of 53 per cent. The fact that the Transport Department has allowed substantial increases in axle loading has placed a burden on county roads beyond the financial capacity of county councils. This is also the experience of the Main Highways Board and urban authorities. In view of the relatively low valuations of the hill country and the abnormally high maintenance costs of county loading, it will be apparent to the Commission that adequate reading facilities, which are vitally necessary, cannot be provided from rates on land only” stated the evidence. PATEA COUNTY’S CASE.

"Local bodies, generally, aim to provide settlers with all weather access, but this can only be undertaken within the finances of the areas," stated evidence presented on behalf of the Pntea County Council. The greatest problem was the maintenance of roads due to modern transport requirements and especially in the back-country areas, to climatic and geographical conditidtis. The policy of the Transport Department had been, and still was, to increase the overall loading for the various road classifications in order that increased payloads may reduce transport costs In actual fact, the ratepayers were required to pay higher rates to repair damage done by heavier traffic. A feature of the back-country was the almost complete absence of metal deposits. In nearly every case metal had to be carted long distances and this added to th' ■ crious disadvantages of such airas. "The Paten i ‘ountv Council supports the New Zealand Counties’ Association in its demand for a greater share of motor taxation by the provision of a £1 for £1 subsidy for roads

other than main highways in lieu of tlie present rate subsidy,'” stated the evidence. The present subsidy, which came inlo operation in 1885 to assist land settlement, did not take into account the change in transport conditions or the vastlv increased road maintenance costs resulting from modern farming needs. If the nroduction of the backcountry land was to be maintained the Government of the day must recognise that satisfactory access and other desirable amenities must be and only could be provided with financial - ““Stance. ‘