TOLL-GATES QUESTION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 78, 23 March 1914, Page 2

TOLL-GATES QUESTION.

CONFERENCE AT ELTHAM. A conference of delegates from Taranaki Comity Council* was held at Eltham on Saturday. '-Ml' J. Quinn, chairman of the Eltham County Council, wa* roted to the chair. The delegate* present were: ' —Stratford: Messrs W. Hathaway (chairman), .T. ChmtolTel; Taranaki: >Lr J. Brown (chairman); Chiton: Mr Sk-MeV* Waimate: Messrs 1), J. ; Hughes and Scott: Eltham ; Messrs Quinn and Phillips; Hawera; Messrs Goodland and Murdoch.

The chairman said the object of the meeting was to, gat a uniform charge at toll-gates, or, perhaps, to do away with the gate* altogether. He was opposed to toll-gates, if the revenue could be otherwise raised. He did not believe in one County retaliating against another. Mr Hughes asked where the matter

was going to end. The Wannate County felt that they should erect toll-gates to go, against the surrounding counties. '• 1 ■

Mr Goodland: How many toll-gates would Waimate want?' About a hundred and forty, I think.

Mr Scott said that unless some other means was found the Waimate County would hare to consider the question of erecting toll-gates. *

■After the schedules of the various counties had been gone through the chairman Said that the chief discrepancy seemed to he in respect of motor cars.

Mr Goodland said the Hawera tariff was designed to meet the Kgnaont County traffic. - Mr Brown said that the Taranaki County expected a net revenue of £iOdo''from dtp gates/ 4 The chairman said the Eltham gat® was expected to produce about. £I4OO iii the coming year. The Eltham' County Clerk aaid the revenue from the Eltham gate had 'substantially increased since it was erected, although the charges had been 'reduced.

Mr Goodland quoted figure* to show thut in a few year* there had been an enormous increase in the number of motor car* going orer the Hawera roads. In the period the motor cycle traffic,had increased from nil to about 75d. v ' ‘

The chairman said the real business of‘ the conference was to get at'some 'uniformityof charges.' .Personally he thought there*’was not' much chance of this ‘ being done. Thfi counties had designed their tariff* to deal frith, the particular traffic going orer

their roads. f On the motio* of Mr Brown it was decided that each county be allowed to fix its own charges. The question of weight and speed of motor cars was next considered. ■ Mr Goodland said the chief trouble was with motor cycles. ' ' t' _ The chairman said control of the speed of motor traffic depended on the opinion of the Magistrate. Mr Brown asked why Parliament did hot' give local bodies the power to properly control motor traffic. Power was given in respect of controlling every other'kind of traffic.

Mr Hathaway said the ißtrafford County had erected notices regarding the speed of motor cars, ; ' but the money spent in erecting the notices was so much money wa*ted~ifo notice wajf taken of’ them.’/ r *

It was decided that the attention of the Minister be drawn to the fact that the law does not allow local bodies to control motor traffic either as regards freight or speed, and to urge on him the necessity of altering the law.

Tlie Chairman «aid that this probably concluded the business of the meeting. He was of opinion that the conference had dona good in one way—in the direction of seeing that there wa« 'community of interest in counties. There should be no counties which had to erect toll-gate* or to exact subsidies from other counties. He would b» pleaded to see the number of couuties reduced by fifty per cent. tf there were large counties with community- of interest, the counties could secure a good engineer and a good plant. H® had fought the matter for a long time. The Eltham County should never hay® b®eu in existence. ", -'f'?

' Mr Hughes endoraed the chairman’s remarks regarding community of interest;' ;

Mr Goodland said that if Waimsts put up toll-gates they would be penalising their own ratepayers and nobody else.' The gate affecting Mar. ain received' a revenue, of £I2OO a year, hut this amount did, not by any means cover the cost of the roads concerned. Mr Scott also endorsed the remarks of the chairman regarding community of interest. The railway wa« the means of getting produce to the markets, but at present those nearest the railway were lesa taxed than those living further back. His idea of the position was that the further hack settlers should be guaranteed access to the railway. There was, no doubt, an anomaly in respect of subsidies. He thought there was not sufficient subsidy, considering the amount of outside traffic bn the roads. His own opinion was that, if there were te h» toll-gates they should be erected as near as possible to the railway line, the proceeds to he distributed to the various counties for the baniit of the main roads. Personally lie thought that many of tb® toll-gaa* bad been orecked out of spite.

The Chairman moved that the Government be urged to alter the boundaries of counties throughout New Zealand so as to ensure community af interest in counties.

Mr Christoff el said the matter should come before the Counties Conference. The Chairman said the Conference bad already affirmed the priheipla. Tn reply tb Mr Goodland, he said that

he was quite prepared to see his ow» county wiped out. Mr Brown favored the motion, hub he doubted if it would do away with toll-gates. The motion wa» carried unanimously.

Mr Hathaway morod that the conference affirm the principle of a subsidy of 5s in tlie Jtl on general rates collected.

The Chairman said the dift'ereac® between the subsidy amounts was proposed to he made up by a tax on motor oars.

Mr Hughes said motors should b® taxed, as the counties wer® compelled to put down special roads for motor traffic. The motion was carried.

Mr Hughes said the motion* earned would sliow the Minister that the conference was not acting on parncval lines. On hi* motion it f was decided to form an executive of the chairmen of Taranaki County Councils to deal wd.h any matter in which the whol® of the Councils are concerned. , Mr Hathaway " said the executive would he of great value, before the County Conference—it would ha able to reduce the bulk of, th® remits by half.'

Tli® Chairman of tha Eltham County Council was Appointed oo»y®nor of th® executive.

* The Conference closed with a rot® of thanks to. th®. chairman and to the Eltham County Council fer th® *•* of th® County Chamber.