D.—l.

Main Highways declared-—continued. No. 17 Highway District — Miles. Chains. Dunedin-Portobello-Otakou .. .. .. .. ■. ..16 Balclutha - Kaka Point via Otanomomo .. .. .. .. .. 0 73 Dunedin-Harrington Point . . .. .. .. .. .. 16 30 No. 18 Highway District —• Queenstown-Invercargill .. .. .. .. •. .. 49 37 144 67 The following list shows the lengths of main highways revoked during the year ended 31st March, 1938, including adjustments : — Main Highways revoked. No. 1 Highway District —- Miles. Chains. Lake Omapere - Maungaturoto via Whangarei .. .. .. . . 0 50 Whangarei -Dargaville .. . . .. .. .. .. 1 28 Dargaville-Kaihu .. . . .. .. ■. • • .. 1 12 No. 2 Highway District — Auckland-Maungaturoto .. .. .. • ■ • ■ .. 0 35 Huntly-Rotongaro .. .. .. • ■ ■ ■ • • .. 6 27 No. 3 Highway District — Wainui .. .. .. ■ • • • • • • • .. 1 12 No. 5 Highway District — Napier-Gisborne via Wairoa .. .. .. .. .. ..07 No. 9 Highway District — Paraparaumu Beach .. .. .. . • • • • • 0 26 Foxton Beach .. .. .. .. - • • ■ • • ..20 Wellington-Auckland via Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. 0 32 No. 11 Highway District — Collingwood-Pakawau .. .. .. .. - • • • .. 0 27 Collingwood-Bainham .. .. .. .. • • • • .. 0 50 No. 14 Highway District — Christchurch-Motukarara via Sumner and Lyttelton .. .. .. 1 36 No. 15 Highway District — Temuka - Pleasant Point .. .. .. ■ • • • .. 1 30 No. 16 Highway District — Alexandra-Clyde .. .. .. • • - • • • .. 7 50 Ida Valley Railway-station - Moa Creek School .. .. ■ .16 0 Junction near Wedderburn - Moa Creek School .. .. .. . . 7 70 Port Chalmers - Waitati .. .. .. • • • • ..13 No. 17 Highway District — Balclutha - Kaka Point via Otanomomo .. .. .. .. .. 12 40 Dunedin-Portobello (Low Road) .. .. .. • • ■ ■ . . 10 16 Portobello-Otakou .. .. • • • • • • • • .. 5 32 Dunedin-Portobello-Otakou .. .. .. • • • • ..16 No. 18 Highway District — Queenstown-Invercargill .. .. • • • • • • .. 49 37 128 16 On the Ist April, 1938, the boundaries of the No. 2 Highway District were altered to include the Rodney County, which had previously formed part of the No. 1 Highway District. Appeal of Local Authority against Decision of Board as to Apportionment of Cost of Work. Section 6 of the Main Highways Amendment Act, 1936, provides that any local authority dissatisfied with any final decision of the Board, fixing the proportions of the cost of any work on a main highway, may appeal to the Minister of Public Works within one month after receiving such decision. Early in the past financial year the Hauraki Plains County Council appealed against the decision of the Board in respect of the county's share towards the cost of the proposed new bridge over the Piako River at Pipiroa. The Board was requested to submit its report on the case, which was considered along with the representations made by the County Council, and, after consideration, the Board's decision was confirmed and accepted by the local authority. The fact that, since this special legislation was passed, only one appeal has been lodged is an indication of the manner in which the Board considers all the circumstances in apportioning the costs of main highway works, and of the general acceptance, by local authorities, of the Board's decisions as being reasonable and fair.

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