IMPORTANT VIEWOF THEFERRY QUESTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 33, 24 December 1880, Page 2

IMPORTANT VIEWOF THEFERRY QUESTION.

1- — TO THE EDITOR Or THE MANAWATU HERALD Stu, — In th 9 slight discussion in the County Council on the ferry tolls, I understood that the only reason for suggesting an increase in the tolls arose from the unsatisfactory state of the bridges and ferrios account, and 1 gathered that if this could be shown to bo unimportant tho old scale of lolls would be accepted, and perhaps a reduction even conaiuered. Now, Sir, an earnest investigation of the above account will show that there is exceeding justification for the statement put forward by the Foxton ratepayers that the revenne permitted a reduction in the tolls, for though the account at the present time shows a heavy deficit, yet the larger half of the expenditure has been iueurred on bridges, and not on ferries ; that the total actual exceptional expenditure on the ferries will be wholly repaid by the 30th March next, and will thus allow the ferry rsvenue to repay tho expenditure iuonried on account of the bridges within two years, supposing similar rents are received as would have been this year had the Lower Grorgo ferry rental been received in full. The figures, in round sum.", stand ihus : Expenditure for bridges,£lo34 ; for ferries, £9UO, Actual receipts from ferries, £703; items due to Ist April next, £'210; a total of £913, against the exeeptionalexpendiluie of £900, and which has put iho ferries in fir3t class order, has found ail nocessaiy plant, has fenced in the reserves and enlarged the ferry houses, and has enabled the county to acquire properly worth some £3i)o ; indeed, for which they actually paid the old lessees £ - -MO. The ratepayers within the county nve.all equally interested in the main linos of communication being kept open, aud though some of us residing at Paluierston and Foxton may not feel the actual benefit of building or repairing nil bridges over 30 feet in length (which entitles a bridge to be kept at tho county expense), yet we have to pay out of our county rates a proportion to such expense (and rightly too), but each and all are directly interested in the approaches from Wellington by the Foxton and Lower Gorge ferries being kept in accessible order. Therefore the argument shows, that even if the ordinary revenue f-om the ferries were deficient to maintain ihe ferries, it would bo good policy and fair treatment that tho gener;.l revenue should assist a deficit, and therefore a suggestion to increase the tolls to find funds for the erection of a number of inland bridges is out of all reason. As the ferries are hfiully likely to require uny (except n nominal) expenditure for suwie jears to come, and us also the heaviest wovlc on tho bridges is now fiuit>hed, and the total of indebtedness only appears ut •he trifling sum of £1000, it does seem only just that a reduction of tho tolls could be made on the ferries as far as it would affect horsemen aud horse aud bullock drays, which, i believe would so augment the receipts that no loss would bo felt, mid as it will be seen ihe furry rentals will coye 11 all expenditure within two years, which praciically means that the bridges are kept up and built out of forry reveniu*, and thai the county ratepayers are eased to this extent, except those residing wiihin the townships of Foxton uud I'alrnerston, who suiter from tho loss of trade by the tolls levied on those doing] business with their towns, and who have to pay in double pioportiou. I commend thi3 statement to the earnest and impartial consideration of the members of the Council, and trust that they will endeavor to meet the request of tho inhabitants^ Foxton and Otaki. I am, &c, Ernest S. Thvmnk. Foxton, December 22, 1880.