77

1.—15.

M. H. WYNYAKD.

Montague Harbison Wynyard examined. (No. 24.) Witness : I am the representative of the motorists on the Main Highways Board, and I am speaking as that representative at the request of the Motor Conference. The clause lam asked to deal with is clause 54, providing for the payment of subsidies by the Highways Board on roads that are not main highways. I wish to speak from the point of view of the financial provisions of the highways at present so far as it affects that matter. I would like to read the following tables, which have been provided to me by the officials of the Main Highways Board : — Estimated Position of Revenue Fund, 31st March, 1930. £ £ Balance Ist April, 1929 .. .. .. 521,000 Expenditure on general maintenance .. 1,000,000 Tire-tax .. .. .. .. 200,000 Earthquake damage .. .. .. 75,000 Motor fees .. .. .. .. 350,000 Interest and other charges .. .. 113,000 Petrol-tax .. .. .. .. 800,000 Transfer to Government Fund .. .. 750,000 Public Works Fund .. .. .. 35,000 Balance .. .. .. .. 155,000 Interest and miscellaneous receipts .. 37,000 Repayment from Construction Fund .. 150,000 £2,093,000 £2,093,000 The expenditure of £150,000 on other roads and streets would reduce the balance at 31st March, 1930, to £5,000. The transfer of £750,000 provides for an extra £100,000 which it has been found necessary to transfer to maintain present rate of progress. Expenditure on Relief Works. £ 1926-27 .. .. .. .. .. 43,234 1927-28 .. .. .. .. .. 74,921 1928-29 .. .. .. .. .. 219,394 1929-30 (to 31st August, 1929) .. .. 97,492 £435,041 Expenditure on Maintenance of Secondary Highways. £ 1928-29 .. .. .. .. .. 147,873 1929-30.. .. .. .. .. 337,664 The latter figure (£337,664) rqpresents the. total of approved items submitted on the annual estimates.

Main Highways Estimates, 1929-30.

Construction. Maintenance. Amount Amounts Amounts Cash Amounts Amounts approved on applied for. approved. allocation. applied for. approved. Secondary Highways. £ £ £ £ £ I £ 1 198,125 142,492 125,000 102,567 99,973 32,184 2 187,243 128,150 140,000 171,157 168,041 57,469 3 63,597 31,957 20,000 i 52,613 52,613 6,504 4 110,778 62,328 31,000 61,667 61,530 14,-305 5 68,949 49,754 32,000 132,867 103,474 24,191 6 85,175 57,762 40,000 55,230 53,700 11,483 7 98,046 59,375 41,000 81,408 68,085 13,343 8 108,063 56,984 32,000 69,975 54,521 17,173 9 218,490 120,092 82,000 107,872 103,817 9,875 10 82,191 48,404 31,000 68,397 55,473 8,720 11 26,771 35,756 33,000 91,507 91,507 29,046 12 53,514 35,760 20,000 120,801 112,828 27,711 13 .. 44,304 36,341 30,000 42,575 38,924 7,557 14 230,701 136,255 90,000 44,042 44,042 16,464 15 79,048 75,708 60,000 77,372 69,154 14,700 16 1 51,022 30,770 45,000 42,754 37,882 13,320 17 | 95,570 105,944 80,000 44,117 40,492 16,936 18 .. 56,399 47,163 28,000 54,078 51,338 16,683 1,857,986 1,260,995 , 960,000 1,420,999 1,307,844 337,664 I I