TOLLS AND TURNPIKES.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 481, 3 June 1867, Page 3

TOLLS AND TURNPIKES.

[Trom Uie Axteira!a.-iaa.l It is a marvel to see how busily engaged v,’e are in some directions in preparing and doing work which posterity will have much trouble in undoing. Thus, while iu the eld country every effort is being made to reduce the number of toll-bars, with a view of shortly getting rid of them altogether, we are increasing the number every year. Private interests in these will never become so troublesome oi bard to satisfy as they are in Great Britain; but district councils and road boards may be quite us greedy, or as -short-sighted in their greediness, and as little inclined to give up an immediate source of revenue so suited to the limited understanding of its members. Since ever railways came iuio operation it has been dear that turnpike roads would have to be converted into open highways—the free transit between ■distant points so plainly showed the fallacy of the old system, the day for which had gone by. It served its time, ■enabling almost impassable tracks to be converted into good metalled roads, dor the making of which money would not otherwise have been forthcoming, .as we would still be with- ur bridges «r ferries in places, if private enterprise had not been encouraged toincm the outlay, aud allowed to remunerate itself by a charge on those who availed themselves of the conveniences. The principle is fair enough at first, as there is no compulsion, and any man W’ould rather pay sixpence for permis* sioa to go over a bridge than swim his borse through a deep river, or, it ■driving a loaded cart, for the use of a bard, smooth road iu preference to a soft bush track; hut persons who never experienced these difficulties, or are beginning to forget them, become very much inclined to grumble at having to pay what they consider too much, or at having to go some distance cut of their way to evade the payments. People like to be free to go and come the most direct wav, without baying continually to pay for permission to do so, aud these vested interests in parts of what ought to be pub be property are lire cause of much beart burning and dissatisfaction. In the lew years’ management of our own affairs Low many of these interests bave we not bad to buy up, paving the holders small fortunes to give up what they not only got for nothing, but in many instances were well paid for previously. In a new country like this, where the value of property of all kinds increases so fast, it is especial!} dangerous to allow these rights to spring up—they become so valuable after a short time. Then, when it beco mes necessary to buy out the mo-| nopolist, the public bave grudgingly to pay a large sum for what they cannot but feel should be their own. Such is the rule in a general way, and although the right, to levy tells on the roads is not now being handed over to private individuals, the several local

bodies are likely to become quite as exacting as long as the system is toleii.ted. and to be as Lard to satisfy in the way of compensation when the public will so longer eadaire the ansoyaace.

In the first place this is a very extravagant mode of raising a revenue, and in the nest place the persons 1 who do contribute pay very unequally ; for the benefits they derive. Since the absurdity of the system first became apparent, and a reduction in the

number of tolMarg in the neighbourhood of Dahlia was determined on, some fifteen years ago, the subject ha? been fully discussed in all its bearings, and one thing discovered very soon was that only about half the money paid by travellers in the shape of tolls was expended in the repairs of the roads for their use. The other hall went to support the host of misanthropes who took to “pika” keeping to be revenged on their species, as ad vised by Tony Weller, or into the pockets of the several vested interest holders. Thus travellers found that they paid one-half for the convenience of the road they used, and the other half for the inconvenience, and were naturally indignant. But many who traversed short distances paid as much as those who went over the full length of road between the gates, and they were more indignant; so at Ihnglh the cry arose that the obstructions should be removed, aud some o;her way ol keeping the roads in repair discovered. This has beeu done to a great extent in Ireland, and around London ; ami for twenty years the agitation has been going on in Scotland, with what effect will be learned from the resolution? passed at a late special meeting of tin. Edinburgh Chamber of Agriculture on the question of road reform. The first of those expresses deep regret at tin failures of the several attempts which have been made to pass a General Load Act for Scotland, but satisfaction •it knowing that so many as twelve separate counties had promoted and obtained acts for the immediate or pros pective abolition of all tolls and pontages within their own bounds. The second resolution declares the Chambei to be of opinion that a General Load Act for Scotland should be forthwith prosecuted and passed by Government on the principles aud recommendations contained in the report of thcRoyal Commissioner on Scottish Reads, viz. : —“ 1. The liquidation of roan debt by owners cf Jaud ami heritage:-. 2. The consolidation cf turnpike, stu tute labor, and bridge trusts. 3. The abolition of tolls and pontages, statute labor and assessments. 4. The main* tabling and repairing of roads to be borne equally by owners and occupier: of lands aud heritages. 5. The ex peuse of new roads and bridges to be borne by owners of lands and heritages.” Both Houses of Parliament were to be petitioned to pass an act based on these principles, and so generally are they recognised now, sometwelve years after the report was brought up—for so long is it since the Royal Commission alluded to concluded their inquiries—that it is hoped comprehensive and general legislation on the question will be at. length possible Locally, this has been effected in the several counties of Scotland, iu Ireland and the most densely populated parts of England, and the day is fast approaching when tolls will be done away with entirely in Great Britain.

Long after it was decided that tolls ought to be done away with, opinion was much divided as to who should bear the cost of maintaining the roads, and how the amount required to buy up the different trades, amounting to several millions, was to be raised. Bui the more the subject was discussed, the plainer it became that the owners ui land and houses should bear the first cost of such works, the value of the property near being increased by every new road or bridge, and that the occupiers—in fact, the general public ol each district —ought to bear the cost ol annual repairs. At a first glance it appears that the farmer, market-gar-dener, coach-proprietor, carrier, &c., should pay for the repairs of the road.-; they use so much ; but on a closer in-

vesiigatioa it is seen that these are all working for and supported by the public, who have in the end to pay the tolls as well as all other parts of then current expenses. Whatever increases the cost or bringing anything to market must needs increase the price of it to the consumer, and if the carrier or coachman has to pay a pound in the shape of tolls between distant towns, he must charge so much more in proportion for the carriage of his goods or passengers. Thus, every one who has

money to spend contributes to the keeping of tho roads in order, according to his expenditure, and is directly interested in having the money set apart for this purpose all devoted to actual repairs, and not to the support of useless or troublesome gate-keepers. In this country there are now levy living on vested interests on tolls, except as they rent them from year to year below their value, but the system is little less objectionable on that account. It is bad in principle and annoying in practice. It is unfair and unjust, even to those who most use the roads, and public opinion in the o'd country has declared that it is a relic of comparative barbarous times, and must give way before the civilising effect of railways. Yet our local managers are doing their best to perpetuate it here, every year adding to the number of toli-bars and of the men employed to keep them. But there is really no excuse for our thus lapsing into barbarous habits, even in this one respect, for have we not our railways, and are the few thinkers amongst us as capable of finding the bearings of direct and indirect taxation as those in the old country ?