The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-12-17
ROAD REFUND
Will INVOLVE
BIG LUMP SUN
Solons VIII Not Have More
Controversial Problem
to Solve
Rx CHIiES COLEMAN

RALEIGH, Dee. I1.-CUPt-
The 1887 general assembly Of
North Carolina may solve more
significant and more intricate
problems. bat chances are good !,
will rot DC called on to deal with
a question involving = larger lamp
sum of money or a more co"tro-
vcrsial matter than the county
highway refund claims.
Suua~e!y faced with claims 20
falling more than S6O.HOO,GOO -
nearly vishc shines IN, Surplus m
IN, hig1Ua, .unG--,hv .c'i~!y'otS
are sharply divided IN their opin.
ION a. 10 whether IN" NO-odd
counties yDTly ing should nc nnnc-
ed the b-sG!.S Cg I;S" they N"
asking m lv:uir log money spent
for reads o. aiyra the state TO-
load-bUild;rg PURPOSES IN the
pas
Fu,y-.iyC per cen, cf the NOM
Eers Jf the h1,;sy sad senate VINO
answered = United lI,sS poll o..
the subject said they were opDoS-
ed 10 granting any OF the county
claims for highway refunds, Dc
spite the fact that the 1888 as
Sembly authorized a commission.
appointed by IN" governor, 70
hear the county claims and sub
nit recommendations on them.
OF the 45 per cent who favor
cd tho refunds many nut i'm quail
ifications such as where just and
right. payable over Il period OF
years" perhaps In part, with
limitations" Legitimate CLAIMS
only" and only to 4 limited exz
tent,
As early rs 1910. the state gov
ernment. lacking funds 10 carry
out the highway building pro-
gram, called upon counties Tor
contribution" 10 aid in road
construction and in some cases
asked the county governments TO
execute parts of the states road
program in their own localities.
Gradually, as its revenues grew,
the stats assumed more and more
Of the burden Of new highway
development bur the counties re-
NAMED without rCimbut SgRcHt
for what they al,egdy had spent.
Two years ago, bill was pre-
Sented 10 the general assembly
ana passed Authorizing appoint
mcnt Of an cjgi,-m3p commits OF
20 hear claims OF each of The IN
dividual counties and make rec
concentration for settlement Of
the question 10 the 1897 assembly.
The commission began its work
last fall. Hearings were held in
Raleigh and in ASheville. and up
wards of so Of the 100 counties
in the STATE sent delegations 10
plead their individual eases with
the commission and list the rCim-
bursements they wanted. When
the smoke had cleared away, the
commission found itslCi with q
bill for $6O,OOO,OOO or IL hands.
What recommendations n c
commission will make 10 inc as
semDly lem2tp q secret until the
report is presented TO the regular
session. Proudly the commission
itself has not yet decided, EUt
the odds ave that . drastic prun'
ing of the claims will b. in order
20 reduce INC gigantic total u
within reach o. tnr states actua
paying power at this time. AMI il
future years.
The legislature, Of course, may
accept Whatever recommendation
the commission makes without dis
putc and vote the money 10 pa!
any claims that are allowed Or
the other hand-and this outcome
is far more likcly-5hc lawmaker:
may disregard the recommends
tions and threSh the whole cues,
ton outffor themselves. with each
county delegation, in the legiSla.
ture an unofficial delegation
fighting 10 see that It's cOns.itu-