D.—l 2

10

dealt with, he doubled the results in cases where he contended that the outside districts would increase largely in the future. This method of doubling values is, however, purely arbitrary, and not, in my opinion, based either on the provision of the general law or on any ascertained facts, and I cannot therefore recommend that this scheme be adopted. Onslow Borough. The results in this case are — Result No. 1 .. .. .. .. 4-47 per cent. Result No. 2 .. .. .. .. 3-03 Result No. 3 .. .. .. .. 12-75 This last result differs from the others, because the twc former are reduced to a comparative use of the whole road, whereas the last represents total ownership, without reference to the use of the road. The ratio of traffic shown in Results Nos. 1 and 2 in this case do not indicate a just apportionment, because the road forms the main street in the Borough of Onslow. In other words, this portion of the road amounts to about 24 per cent, of the whole road which is the subject of the present claim. According to Mr. Haselden's report, Onslow was required to contribute five twenty-fourths or 20-8 per cent, of the cost. This very high assessment was evidently imposed because the borough was by law required to keep this part of the road at its own cost, and it was only because it could under the Public Works Act get some assistance from outside districts that this burden was to some extent lifted from its shoulders. The same thing is, in a measure, true to-day, only that some other authority is now charged with the construction of the road, and later on another body will be entrusted with its maintenance, but this ought not equitably to relieve the Borough of Onslow of its just quota of liability to contribute. The Borough of Onslow has therefore a duty to contribute to the road as being its main thoroughfare, quite apart from the question as to how much its traffic uses the other parts of the road. If this were a simple case the measure of contribution would be the difference between the total cost of the road, sufficient to carry Onslow traffic, and the extra expense caused by having to make a road sufficiently strong and wide to carry traffic from outside districts as well. Mr. Haselden assessed this at 20-8 per cent. This is equal to 5 per cent, for the whole road. The cost of the road in Onslow alone has been approximately nearly £24,000. This has only benefited Onslow to a small extent; but if the local bodies are to pay for constructing the road, it does not appear to be at all unreasonable that Onslow should pay something additional towards this cost as well as something for its use of the other parts of the road, and which use Result No. 2 shows is equal to about 3 per cent, for heavy traffic. Taking these facts into consideration, I conclude that it ought to pay fi per cent, of the cost. Makara County. The traffic on the road which concerns Makara County is shown to be — Result No. 1 .. .. .. .. 11-71 per cent. Result No. 2 .. .. .. .. 9-95 „ • Result No. 3 . .. .. 13-90 This shows a very considerable use of the road for the purpose of traffic to and from Makara County. The County contends, however, that the road is of very little use to its inhabitants, and that its main use, so far as Makara is concerned, is in respect to traffic to and from the Meat Export Company and the Wellington City Corporation abattoirs at Ngahauranga, and also from the quarry in Ngahauranga Gorge, in all of which industries Makara derives very little profit and small rates. It contends also that the abattoirs are an industry carried on by the Wellington City Council, and that the traffic to and from these abattoirs should be debited to the city. In so far as the question of small rates and little use is concerned, Onslow must bear its own burden in the same way as Petone and other places have to do theirs; but as regards traffic to and from the abattoirs there appears to be some slight equity in favour of Onslow and as against Wellington City. There is one very strong equity against Makara, inasmuch as 3 miles 26 chains 28 links of the road are wholly within the county. The County pleads that the reconstruction of this