UPKEEP OF ROADS.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16812, 2 June 1926, Page 11

UPKEEP OF ROADS.

SUGGESTED INCREASED TAXATION THE USER SHOULD PAY. PRIME MINISTER SYMPATHETIC. The increasing burden on local bodies brought about by the growing expense for the upkeep of roads due to motor traffic was brought to Hie notice of Iho Prime Minister, Hon. .1. G. Coates, at Hamilton yesterday by a deputation from Ibc Hamilton Borough 'Council. His Worship (he Mayor, Mr ,T. R. Fow, said the matter was exercising the minds of many local bodies —this difficulty of roading and the excessive wear and tear caused by motor traffic. The Hamilton Borough had had to set aside £II,OOO this year for road maintenance, which they knew would not lie sufficient for llio purpose and it would he absolutely necessary lo spend this money, in order that they should not lose ihe good work clone on ihe roads during the last few years. They thought the present conditions were not equitable and they considered that some scheme should he devised to make those who used the roads pay for them. They suggested that Ihe present lax of £2 per car should he substantially increased and that Hie overplus should bo distributed on an equitable basis amongst the local bodies. In England the average taxation was £lO per ear, the, levy being according to horse-power. The Council suggested that in addition to the increased license fee a petrol tax should also lie levied. I,oral bodies everywhere were suffering from the burden of expense caused by the everincreasing motor traffic. The farmers could not afford lo pay for Ihe adequate upkeep of Hie roads, and neither could (lie townspeople. The Borough’s Burden.

Mr F. E. Snell, chairman of the Works Conunillee, said Ihe Hamilton Borough Council had spent £3O 1,02 0 in loans for construr.ling streets and drainage to carry the water off those streets on which it is called upon to pay £10.308 in interest and sinking fund. Of the total £200.000 had been expended in Hie last four years ns ihe direct result of Hie increased demands made by motor. .transport, this costing the bornugli from £13.300 lo £14.000 in increased interest, while the maintenance expenditure had increased from, say £B.OOO to £11.300. a total increase to-day which amounted to not less than £17.000 per annum. At present they were paying sinking funds on (lie basis of i per cent, per annum, which was admitted by everyone to lie too low for present methods of construction. To maintain what Ihe borough had. In addition to maintenance moneys, they were railed upon to spend another £70.000 for Ihe slreets themselves and £03.000 for further draining lliem. Ibis expenditure increasing the. annual charges lo £30.800. Molor Iranspnrl and the heller roads required lo meet il would then have added £26,000 to Hie annual expenses.

“To-day,” continued the speaker, "wo arc receiving from motor drivers' licenses and licenses for licensed vehicles, excluding heavy traffic fees, j £OOO. Wc hope to obtain £4OO a year from heavy traffic licenses, but if adjoining local authorities have their way it is more likely to Lie £l5O a yea - . Even at the best the motor-owners today contribute only £IOOO towards the cost of works in the borough alone. Unfortunately, however, our liabilities do not end with our own expenses. Wc are called upon to contribute about £3GO per annum towards Hie cost of maintaining the Raglan road, and tlio interest and sinking fund on our share of the cost of a loan to replace the old Whalnwliata bridge. There are approximately 1000 vehicles in Hamilton. Wo believe that Ihe owners of these should bear the greater part of the annual charges on the cost of the works their advent has rendered necessary, and which will, as previously mentioned, soon lotal £20,000 a year. While wc suggest various ways in which the. expense can he met by taxes on these vehicles, wo are not so much concerned with how they pay. so long as they do assist materially in the matter. The question is an urgent one for all local authorities, and the Government itself arc suffering as the result of llie present lack of adequate direct taxation." . The Petrol Tax; a Solution. The Prime Minister in reply said ho would not give any utterance to lead the deputation to believe that immediate relief would- be given. He agreed, however. Hint the motor traffic traffic, was causing the rates to go up greatly and that the ratepayers were put lo difficulty to meet the burden. He did not think Parliament was likely, however, to deal with motor taxation this year. The question of the petrol tax seemed to him to be the solution, although there were different opinions on this. The user certainly ought lo be asked lo pay on a fair and equitable basis, it must be quite clear lo all that borrowed money must be protected, and that they could not keep forcing it on lo the ratepayers. The motorist:., lie thought, would conic lo recognise that bad roads were an economic waste and that if they wanted good roads iliey must not expect the ratepayers to pay for them, lie quite agreed with Hie principle of making the users pay for the roads. As to Ihe Luis regulations, it was very easy for people to sit down and criticise. Very few, however, were ready lo come, forward with useful suggestions. The community must come first in all Ihcse lliings. There was no doubt, that there was a general awakening lo ihe fact that the ratepayer could not bear the, increasing burden, and if tliev kept on loading up the land tliey would have history repeating itself as in Spain many years ago, where the burden of rating became so great that settlement of Ihe land was seriously hampered. Mr Coates promised to give the represenations of the Counsil every consideration.

Even non-smotcis must (ur should) admit that tobacco is a splendid disinfectant. It was found to be so in (lie great, plague year in England (iGGb) and in our own. day medical men often consider it invaluable In helping to ward off infection. But it is in times of menial stress that so many value it. Every smoker knows how comforting it is in time of trouble. Inferior brands, however, are best, avoided, and it should of course, be as fire from nicotine as possible. The American tobaccos, by the way, are all more or less loaded with tlie latter. But our New Zealand varieties, on iho oilier hand, contain very little. Hence their appeal to Hie smoker who can go on puling them alt day long if he likes without fear of consequences. And, owing to the fact (Mat Ihc leaf is toasted—quite a novel nolion—they arc as remarkable for flavour as for fragrance. Your tobacconist lias them. Ask for “itiver- | head gold,” mild “Navy Cut" (Bulldog) medium, or “Cut Plug No.'JO” | (BuilshcadJ full strength. 52