THE TOLL-GATE BILL.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XII, Issue 516, 10 October 1867, Page 2

THE TOLL-GATE BILL.

MEETING IN THE MASONIC HALL. A public meeting of the inhabitants of the town in connexion with the proposed introduction of the toll-gate system was held in the Masonic Hall on the evening of Saturday last, at a very short notice. No intimation of the proposed meeting having reached ius, we had no reporter present, but | condense the following brief account from the columns of our local contemporary. Mr J as. Wood, having been voted to the. chair, exp!,lined the object of the meeting, which was simply to elicit the opinion of the public on the question. It was, in his opinion, unjust, as ninetenths of the whole sum to he taxed, estimate;! at iCj’OO, would be drawn from the inhabitants of the town and surrounding districts. It was also intended ny the Government, if possible, to carry the Mini so levied to the general revenue, instead of spending it iu the district in which it, is to be raised. No resolutions were prepared ; an opinion was desired from the people on the question. Mr Irvi.nk (also a member of Council) wished to obtain that expression of opinion ; it was possible yet to overturn the bill, and ho would be guided in bis action by their decision. Mr WottttAN thought the (piesliim lay between lolls and rates, and thought that by deciding for the latter, people would have reason to regret their decision.

.Mr Ikvixe said toll-gates were becoming obsolete at home. Hales were far preferable, as on earriegei and horses; such rates he was quite willing to pay. Mr St it.uiT said it was monstrous to propose the adoption of a system England had abandoned, l! was a tax which would press heavily on small I roducers for the benefit of the runholders. Every cart of produce realising Ids. a day would he taxed Is. out of the proceeds. If tolls were general it would not be so unjust, but gentlemen could ride, all over the country and cot be taxed, except on entering the town.

Mr Caklyun said lie was an elector of the town, though residing forty miles olf; he wished the question to he thoroughly discussed. He approved the principle of tolls, wherever there were metalled roads there should he tolls. It was scandalous there were none at the Kgaruroro Bridge, which had cost .10,000 or 17/>oo. The opponents of the measure were interested men, fond of driving and “nobbier” shouting. It had been said that Maoris would go through the water and evade the toll. He thought Maoris should be free of the toll. Mr Trvinf. said a dray-load of wool, worth 1300, would he (axed hot -s, Cd., a milk cart with contents, wort h, perhaps, 305., must pay Is. ; the small agricultural settlers were hardly dea.lt with. The country members were dead against the making of tolls g-cneral over the Province, hut if the meeting approved of that idea they could petition the Council. Mr Sutton favoured the latter idea, hat tolls should not go to general revenue. The roads might be kept in a better state with tolls than without them. A tailgate on the Te Ante road would pay well, and that road had cost more thousands than the M came road had cost pounds—if it ( was possible to have the money spent in the district in which it had hern raised, the Meaner settlers would be the. gainers by the proposed toll-, gate, j Mr Stuakt admitted the justice of the principle | |if it were applied generally over the Province, but 'this was not intended, it was to aifect only the

I town, and surrounding district. Hoads hi the | country had been made at a rate of 15s. per day, | Government stroke ; some of the culverts there had cost a guinea an inch. It would be. hard on I people in poor circumstances, who could scarce make ends meet, to pay £lO or £ls a year for tolls. He would move ; —“ That tills meeting is of opinion that the erection of a tollnate in the vicinity of 'Napier is injudicious, and calculated to press unduly on the inhabitants of the town of Napier and neighbourhood.” Mr Worgan moved, as an amendment: — “ That this meeting prefers a tollgute as a more jfair and equitable tux than a general rale Upon all householders.” He did not wish to reflect on the Meanee settlers, but lie would say, “ Think twice before you act, and Jo it with your eyes open.” | Mr R.on.ioHNS said the money was to go into ithe hands of the Government, and not to he spent | on the roads. The Government had begun with £IO,OOO to tiieir credit, and in four years were £IO,OOO in debt. If the tolls got iuto its bauds, good bye to the money. Mr Stuart said it would lie a very unequal tax—ou the town for the benefit of the country—it would prevent many people from coming into town. Maoris would not understand it, and if they did, would not pay it; it would go against their grain. Mr Kennedy (amid disapprobation) expressed himself in favour of the measure. Mr Woeoan’s amendment having been seconded by Mr Lee, was put to the meeting and lost, three hands only being held up for it. Mr Stuart’s motion was put and carried, with the same number of dissentients. Mr Worgan wished the meeting joy of its choice. Mr Robjohns then proposed, and Mr Stuart seconded : —“That this meeting is of opinion that the members for the town in the Provincial Council should be’requested to use their influence to have the Toil Bill thrown out.” He said they were not sure that the tax would not he put upon land. (Hear, hear.) That, he considered, would he a just lax. The motion was carried amid loud cheering, only one baud being held up against it. Mr Stuart then proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, which was carried unanimously. Mr Wood having returned thanks, the meeting separated.