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North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 41, 1 December 1864, Page 1 (Supplement)

Two toll-bars bave been erected near Christtimch, to tbe great annoyance of the citizens aid of tbe inhabitants of the country around. If be annoyance expressed were only excited by an ignorant impatience of taxation," Aye should aye been very slow to join in the cry against lo levy of tolls upon the high roads. But there 'Mich good reason for objecting to tbe system — r rather Avant of system—under Avbich tbe fre-n-nters of tbe Pnpnnui and Lincoln roads are My being mulcted, that public attention must be Irawn without delay to the Grievance. We do ot suppose for one moment that the present initial ity of taxation will be allowed to existlong ; 'lit every day that such taxation is levied inflicts "o unjust fine upon individuals, and brings tbe w into hatred and contempt. There can be no lonbt that, if there Avere no objection on the "ore of expense, a general levy of tolls on all the ij.li roads of the Province would be the fairest iode of raising funds for keeping those roads in 'pair. That those -who use a road should pay « the wear and tear caused by th- traffic in p_o--ftrtion to tbe use they make of it, is a very fair .position. And in so far as they provide for ach an apportionment of taxation, toll-bars are ap most equitable of rate-collectors. The diffialty of discovering any other means of collectig road rates so fair to all Avho are interested in ie several roads has led people in England to 'quiespe for a long time in a most unpalatable stem. But at last the great and unanswerable jjection to toll-bars has become so apparent that is evident they are doomed. The suppression fall the metropolitan toll-bars is only the first "p in a reform Avhich will spread over the Uni- & Kinfdom. In ten years, if we are to judge •the tone of the English press, toll-bars will be ' England as much things of the past as maillacbes and post-horses. It would be absurd to ■mmence a system here the mischief of which 's just been proved where the experience of it is been greatest.—Lyttelton Times.