PROPOSED ABOLITION OF TOLL.

Evening Star, Issue 3307, 25 September 1873, Page 3

PROPOSED ABOLITION OF TOLL.

A meeting of residents in Kaikorai, RoaIvn, and Wakari districts was held on Wednesday evening last, in the Roslyn Hall, to consider what steps ought to be taken to secure the abolition of the toll placed on the Kaikorai district road ; Mr James Kdgour occupied the chair. —Mr Cunningham moved, and Mr Sheriff seconded a resolution to the effect “That in the opinion of this meeting the toll on the Kaikorai district road ought to be abolished, and that the Provincial Government be respectfully requested to take the necessary action to effect its abolition,” which was carried; one hand only being held up against P. A deputation was appointed to wait upon the Government. From statements made it appears that the toll is placed close to the boundary of the Kaikorai road district, and presses hardly on the residents in the adjoining district (Roslyn), in which district the portion of the road over which the heavier traffic passes is situate, and is kept in repair by the ratepayers of that district, who for a considerable period were the principal, if not the only contributors to the tell, the ratepayers of Kaikorai having been exempted from payment of toll by the late local road board. Moreover, the toll collected, instead of having been expended in keeping the road on which toll is taken in repair, has been used in making roads in other parts of the Kaikorai district. It was further stated that the local road board having during two years levied no rate within their district, the district has net participated in the benefits conferred by the liberal subsidies voted by the General and Provincial Governments ; and, consequently, the road is in a roost deplorable condition, being in many parts almost impassable. One person present at the meeting—a butcher in Roslyn—said that the toll operated against him as a prohibitive tax ; for if he passed into the Kaikorai district to seek an order he had to pay fid, and when he supplied the order ho had to pay another fid ; this was morp than he could afford to lose, Another stated that the toll on every cord of fireword caused the price of it to be increased 2s to the inhabitants of Roslyn and Sunnyside, and on every load of Green. Island coal Is. When in addition to this it was stated that the toll cost thirty per cent, collecting, we think there can be little difference of opinion as to the reasonableness of the request contained in the resolution adopted by the meeting.