COUNTY MAIN ROADS.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17410, 24 May 1928, Page 8

COUNTY MAIN ROADS.

COUNCIL’S PROPOSAL. SCHEME UNSUITABLE TO RAGLAN. GOOD REASON ADDUCED. The chairman of ithc District Highways Council, in a communication which was before ‘the Raglan County Council at yesterday’s meeting, reported that the question of the advisability of counties declaring a main road system as provided under Section 131 of the Counties ’Act, 1920, was discussed at the last meeting when the chairman was instructed to send a letter to the county councils in the district who had not already adopted the principle, pointing out the advantages of having a system ’of county main roads, particularly now 'that the question of the distribution of petrol tax was being considered. Moro on the User. The object of the latest taxation -on motors was to lighten the taxation on lands and place it more on the user of the roads. It was manifestly quite impossible to arrange a main highway ■system so that every riding would have a length of highway within its own area and hence where the riding system of finance was in force, there must he some ridings in which none of the proceeds of motor and petrol taxation would be spent. Remedy Pointed Out. The position, it was pointed out in the circular from the chairman of the Highways Council, could lie remedied by making use of Section 131 of the Counties’ Act, which enabled a county to declare within its area a system of main roads which would be a charge on the County General Fund. Such a system would include all the Main Highways and as many other roads as the county might think fit in order to make the scheme an equitable one. The effect would lie that <the county moneys for expenditure on this system of roads would be pooled with subsidies from the Main Highways Board and it was claimed that such a system of finance would give the most equitable distribution of tiie benefits of motor taxation and in addition would induce a much broader outlook towards the reading problem than is at present the case under the riding system. Finding the Finance. The actual financing of the works would also be much more flexible than at present in that a large fund was able 'to meet sudden heavy calls, as for instance from flood damage, which would be beyond the capacity of the smaller riding funds. There were difficulties involved in a suitable county main road scheme and such a scheme had to he very carefully thought out hut it could be done and bad been done in this district very conspicuous success. The system was strongly advocated by the Main Highways Board,” the chairman of the District Highways Council concluded in his report. A Difficult Matter. The chairman of the county (Cr. Campbell Johnstone) said it was a very difficult matter so far as the Raglan County was concerned, although it was recognised that in many cases -the scheme was the proper one to follow. The principal roads m the county ran from the coast to the rai/kvav and making them county mam roads was a difficult matter The chairman remarked -that it was hoped to got the three roads viz , Huntly to Rotongaro Hall; whata to Te Bore and Port Waikato roads included at an early date. Cr J 11. Furniss said that the road from Huntly to Ngamawahia on the west side of the river was also due for consideration. Owing to the cattle traffic it was impossible for the ruling to maintain the road. Damage By Cattle. The chairman said that the representations made recently to the Minister of Public Works were receiving carelul attention, seemed something wrong that ca e should he allowed to L roads as they were doing when the railway service was a\ailabffi. a reduction in railway freight was made there was the assurance from those concerned that it 'vould be IO Tbe Cd eoiineil corried a resolution which in effect submitted the opinion mat me tvas not suitable lor opera Con within the county.