ABOLISH TOLL GATES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4360, 30 December 1921, Page 2

ABOLISH TOLL GATES.

COMMITTEE’S REPORT. A SUBSIDY OPERATES RECOMMENDED. The report of the committee appointed to the general question of toll-gates has been presented to the House of Representatives. The committee’s recommendations are as follow:— (!'.) That in future no toll-gates be authorised. (2.) That on the coming into operation of the Main Roads Bill or other compensating legislation, as indicated in clause 3 helbw, all existing toll-gates be abolished (3.) That subsidies at the rate of 5s in the £1 on all general rates collectable on capital value or on equivalent unimproved value be payable out of Consolidated Fund as from the same date, but only in proportion, as the actual rates levied are tp the maximum rate permissible under the Counties Act. (As the maximum rate is 3d in the £1 on the capital value, a county rating Id in the £1 would only receive onethird of the subsidy, and other ratings similarly. (4.) That a 20 per cent, ad valorem tax on all rubber tyres, or solid, be levied through the Customs Department, paid to Consolidated Fund, and subsidies on rates be paid to county councils as in terms of recommendation. (3) as above, ahd the balance be devoted to. the maintenance of. such arterial roads as may from time to time

be sp declared by Government. “In regard .to the suggested metho:! of subsidising rates, it is found that counties whose rates are low will receive less, while those whose rates are high will receive more than under the present system. Nevertheless, for the whple Dominion it is anticipated that the increase over the present total of £150,000 or thereabouts will not to more than £20,000 annually. By this suggested system it is anticipated that the tendency will be to form larger gounti.es with higher standards of organisation, and to stimulate progressive counties to still further efforts in the development of 1 their districts and in the imprpve : meat of their; roads.

“Under, the proposed Main Roads Bill it would appear that certain counties will be relieved of the. maintenance 'off varying lengths of' main roads, and consequently will be. in a better position tp deal with their remaining roads, while other counties (who will not be similarly relieved) are in positions that equally require financial relief. It;-is suggested that in order tp obviate this apparent inequity all counties who are relieved of maintenance off portions taken over in terms of the Main Roads Bill shall contribute 50 per cent, of the average annual maintenance costs of the portions so taken over, such average cost being computed from the annual costs of the three years immediately preceding the taking over, and the Government shall have power to collect this contribution by deduction from the proposed subsidy on rates.”