TOLL-GATES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 47, 17 June 1914, Page 2

TOLL-GATES.

[To The Editor Stratford Post.] Sir,—l notice that at a meeting of North Riding ratepayers of the Stratford County Council, held in the Midhirst Public Hall some time back, according to the report of that meeting, the County Chairman stated the farmers should not be bound by party politics. They should see that they got a fair subsidy on their rates, 11 they had got a subsidy in the same proportion as some South Island counties, their County would not be in the condition it was to-day. Was the chairman only joking when making ■ this statement, as the Government j has, apparently, no power to' sot aside an Act of Parliament, to pay the County more subsidy than received on present rates collected. As the Act stands at present, it appears to me that the ratepayers cam adjust the County boundaries to collect a subsidy from the Government of 10s in the £ for every £ collected from the ratepayers. The Stratford County Council is working under the same Act. as the South Island counties, and if they endeavoured to adjust the County lxmndarios with a view to getting a larger subsidy, the only expense to the ratepayers would be paying a man to take round the petition, and a map of the districts showing the proposed new counties, and also solicitor's charge for drawing up a Bill, and as it would cost nothing to put the Bill through the House

of Representatives, the expense should not he much. I am not suggesting going back to'Road Boards, because a moderate-sized County has more power, and collects more subsidy than h Road Board, and when the next Local Government Bill goes through the House, boards will probably be abolished. Some little time back there were 546 local 'bodies m the Dominion; about one third had revenues of less than £SOO a year and expended from 17 to 25 per cent, in working expenses. In the Cook County there were no less than ten Road Boards, and one of them had actually nine ratepayers in the whole district. In the same County there was another board with thirteen ratepayers, and still another with only, eighteen. In the same province, there was a Road Board with only five dwellings within its boundary. Ihese are instances of the absurdity of out present system of local government. If a toll gate were erected on the East Road, the majority of the motor cars passing through it would belong to business firms, and. who would simply hand the toll charged to them on to the ratepayers 'whenever possible. Though Cr. Walter complained bitterly about the damage done to

the road by motor, traffic', be was not prepared to give ,an approximate estimate of the extra cost of maintenance owing to this traffic, and, in fact, judging by the remarks I heard him pass, I doubt very much if he is sufficiently conversant with the local government question, to bo of much assistance to the ratepayers in the present difficulty, and if he would inspect the road between the cemetery and the borough boundary be will find more motor traffic on this section than on any part of the East Riding. Nevertheless the centre of the road, where the horses are driven, is becoming lumpy, while the wheel tracks with the exception of two small portions are in fair order. The first

thing that struck me on arriving ,in Stratford County was the very small amount of damage done by motors compared with Canterbury. Between Little River and Akaroa the mail and passengers had in the past been carried on this road by horsedrawn coaches. The last mail contract was let to a man prepared to carry mails and passengers by motoi service, and for over a year the horse-drawn coaches have been practically off the road. This road is metalled ’ with metal which will pass through an inch and a-half 'dig. About three parts of the journey is over the hills,, and it requires so much power to. take these heavy motors up hill, and owing to tho metal being broken small and the hardness of same, the .wheels shake it I loose, and it requires to bo continual iy blinded to keep it from rolling off'. As Akaroa is a popular tourist resort, the cars at times have to | make a double trip, and the pro-

prietor lias to hire extra cais fiom Christchurch, and the trip from Christchurch is not only boomed by the Canterbury Automobile Association, but from a scenic point of view is considered one of the most delightful motor trips in Canterbury. Canterbury is, practically speaking, the home of motors. Thousands of them passed over this road last year, and j though they had a very dry summer, 1 which adds greatly to tide cost, of

'keeping the small hard metal on these hilly roads, the extra cost of'maintaining this road was practically 25 per cent, for the year. When you | compare this with the softness of the ■metal on the East Hoad, which sets well, the cost of maintenance owing • to motor traffic on the latter should | not ho more at the outside than 5 par cent. The toll gate will not prevent stock from being driven along jour roads; the dealer will merely deduct all toll charges from the price I of stock when buying from the rate- | payers. If a back country ratepayer buys in Stratford ami has to pay a high price for his stock, ho will have toll to pay also. Cr. Walters staled at the Kahouri bridge meeting that a toll gate would catch the stock f rorn AVI langamomona, which travelled oyer our roads. There is no doubt that the stock travelling from the AVhangamomona County through the East Hiding, especially sheep, 1 -> %

i great deal of damage, and as I understand one buyer alone bought about 20,000 sheep from VVhangamomona it is just possible there is more stock going to and from Whanga. over this road than there is sheep in the Stratford County. l>ut why should Or. Walter advocate putting our ratepayers to the inconvenience and cost of a toll gate to catch the Whanga stock when, as the Act stands at present, the Stratford County Council has power to make the Whanga Council contribute to the cost of maintaining this road. If the two Councils cannot adjust the proportions required for damage done, there is a Government Commissioner to

adjust same. Mr Sliortt, of the Public Works Department, does this in Canterbury. At the Toko meeting it is reported they carried a resolution in favor of taxing motor cars, or, I think, otherwise force the Government’s hand. If they have power to force the Government’s hand, would it not be more beneficial to the ratepayers to force them to contribute towards tjie cost of the maintenance of our main roads r f his, it appears to me, is the only way to get at the non-ratepayers through the Consolidated Fund. In the Stratford County balance-sheet, 1912, 1 notice cottages, sheds, etc., £3OO. In the 1913 balance-sheet, roadmen’s cottages are set down at £OOO. Before the 1914 balance-sheet is printed, one of these cottages is empty, and the Council tell us they are practically bankrupt. I doubt if the Conn-

oil can legally spend our rates on workmen’s cottages. There was a Bill drafted, J think by the Ward Government, which included a clause empowering Councils to build vor imen’s cottages, but it never reached the Statute Book, and if councils already had that power, why was it included in this Bill? Considering there are so many empty cottages in Toko, was it not an error of judgment building a cottage there even if they could legally spend road rates in chat direction. The County Chairman, I think at Midhirst, is reported as making the statement that the Council were getting 6 per cent, on the money expended in this direction. The money is worth that to our ratepayers to repair our roads with, and they, have apparwly made no provisions for depreciation, or for renewing the cottages and fences in years to,, come, -nd so .he nncpayeis will have ito renew sam* out of rates if allowed to run on as at present'. Councillor Smith stated at Midhirst he, thought the Council took a very wise step in building wbrkmems cottages. Men, he says, had only a certain amount of energy, and if they ( expended some of their energy in getting to their work it followed that

they could not do so much work as otherwise. Now, is Cr, Smith nob aware that this is exactly what is taking place at present on the East Road ? Mark you, where* two' of these cottages are built, at times one of these men travels from Toko to the Taihora Saddle in the vicinity of Cr. Smith’s section,' a' distance of probably over 15 miles or about 30 7niles per day. But as the journey is apparently undertaken at the ratepayers’ expense, the men would possibly not complain of the energy expended in getting there. In the 1912 bal-ance-sheet the approximate position was as followsßates outstanding, March 31st, £1339; bank interest, 1912, £353 1-ls Id; overdraft at bank, £3597 Os 7d. In 1913, outstanding rates, 31st March, amounted to approximately £1392; bank interest, 1913, £340 14s 6d; overdraft at bank, £4525 15s lid. When newly-metall-ed, the roads for a few years would cost very little to maintain, but as they become worn with traffic and 'carried the water, tons of grit and metal are washed away with every heavy rain. Had the Council from the first collected sufficient rates to keep the roads in such a condition i that they Avould not carry the water, instead of allowing them to go be-

hind each year, their position may have heen .sound to-day. As it is, many of these roads have been allowed to go hack to such an extent that the rates would probably have to ho doubled for a few years to repair them, or another loan raised in the near future, and, as the County is already paying interest, and sinking fund on approximately £113,840, the loans may begin to press heavily on the ratepayers. though it may have been unpopular in the first instance to extract an extra £1 a-piece from the ratepayers, allowing the roads to scour out and become rough would probably cost them more for wear and tear to vehicles, 'harness and horse-flesh in the year than may be required to keep the roads in fair order. The Auditor-General attached a tag to the 1912 and 1913 balance-sheet as follows:—"Examined and found correct, except that £2702 4s Id of moneys received for and applicable only to the payment of interest on loans have been used for other purposes.." Will he .continue adding this tag, or if he objects, will the Council collect by way of general rate over and above the present general rate (£2702 4s Id) in any one year to adjust this expenditure? 'What is the position of the East Riding members? Cr. Walter wrote a letter to the "Stratford ' Post" some time back, practically j speaking, drawing our attention to the cuteness of tho Council. At that time they desired to place us under the heel of the Electrical Supply Company for, I think, 40 years. Later, thev holt and put the ratepayers of'a practically bankrupt County to the unnecessary expense

(Continued from pago 2.) of an election. Now they blossom forth endeavouring to advise the ratepayers to put themselves to the inconvenience and cost of a toll gate, while Cr. Walter will probably step on the train at Douglas and leave the less fortunate ratepayers to pay the piper.—l am, etc., w. y. McCullough, East Road, Stratford, June 1(5, 1911. R.S.—At the Kahouri bridge meeting a gentleman made the statement that I was not a ratepayer in the East Riding. This statement is an oversight on his part, as 1 pay rates to* the East, South and Mangaehu Ridings. W.F.MeO.