TOLL-GATE COMMISSION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 35, 11 June 1915, Page 7

TOLL-GATE COMMISSION.

| THURSDAY’S SITTING. Commissioner Short sat at the Courthouse, Stratford, yesterday, j hearing evidence in regard to the appointment of a toll-gate at Waipuku. ] The various local bodies interested were represented as follows. Stratford County Council, Mr RSpence (instructed by W. G. Malone). Stratford Borough Council, the Mayor (Mr J. W. Boon) and Mr T. O. Fookes. New Plymouth Borough Council and Taranaki County Council, Mr >l. H- j Quilliam. 1 Eltham County Council, Mr J. L. Weir. j Clifton County Council, Mr C, F. iDowsett. I Hawera County Council, Air J. B. Murdoch. The Commissioner, in opening the Commission, stated that the Stratioid County Council applied for permission to open a toll gate. The Minister for Public Wprks considered it neces-* .sary that other counties shoull be represented. The cost should be con-. trihutecl under Section 109 of the Public Works Act, 1908. Taranaki v.as the only district where toll-gates are in operation on district roads. I his application was one for putting a tollgate om-the Main Road. A Commission was issued to ascertain whether it was not better to make a proportionate tax for the upkeep .‘in preference to a toll-gate. The Commission had to inquire whether one gate he erected or a proportionate tax made on all bodies. The Government took a tally for a week, and all parties were given a copy of the tally, which shows that if the cost is apportioned then the local bodies may have to contribute to the cost. If the proportion were made under this section it would lie j according to the following table:— ; Stratford Council 21, Tara--1 naki 31. Stratford Borough 17, Xew Plymouth 15, Hawera 9. Eltham 4, Clifton 3. Secondly, the Commission would decide the rate of proportion among bodies if proportionate payment he made. Expression of opinion was sought as to what impost would be nreferred : Stratford County supported Toll; Borough Impost; N.P. Borough Toll; Taranaki Toll; Eltham Toll; Hawera Toll; Clifton Toll. If one hotly can put up a toll, then the Government may find a difficulty in preventing other bodies erecting toll-gates .

i Mr 6. T. Murray, Resident Engineer to the Public Works Department, .said that he had had a tally taken at the request of the Department. The Tally was started on 10th May and lasted for .seven days. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the tally was taken until midnight, hut on the other days only until 9 p.m. Three men , worked the tally in shifts. He ' personally compiled the tally handed in from the men’s books. Theye was I extra traffic on two days of that week on account of the Hawera races. The I drivers of the cars were asked where | they came from and where they were 1 going. The Registration marks were 'also taken. The distance from the I boundary of the Stratford Borough j boundary of the Taranaki County , to the Stratford Borough ! miles. No distinction was made as to whether the cars passing through were Borough cars or County cars. Each man used a separate book. The ■ tally of traffic on the first day of the Hawera races was sixty-seven, on Friday, an odrinary day for traffic the tally was thirty-

three. This traffic would all pass through Stratford on the way to Haw-

,1. H. Jones, chaffeur, employed by the Public Works Department, said that he was one of the men instructed to take a tally of the traffic at the Waipuku River. He accepted the drivers word fpr the origin and desituation of the cars. Cars making a return trip were counted twice. Several cars, refused to stop, but these were counted in the tally. The Commissioner here pointed out that the Department’s tally had been accepted by the parties.

Win. Hathaway, chairman of the Stratford County Council, gave evidence as follows: The reason for the Stratford County Council applying for permission to erect a Toll-gat© at Waipuku is that the present width of metal on the Mountain Road is not safe for the increased traffic. Owing to the great rainfall the earth on each side of the metal becomes a bog during the winter months, and it was the intention of the Council to increase the width of metal by four feet or more if desirable, so that motor cars and horse-drawn vehicles may pass without, fear of accident, which is almost unavoidable at present. The

mileage of road is about miles in the North Riding and four miles in

the South Hiding, making a total of nine and a-half miles. The County Engineer estimates the cost of increasing the width of metal and tar sealing the same at about £9OOO. If this work were done, it would be a great saving to motorists in the cost of tires and also much more pleasant to travel .over. It is impossible for the Council to do this work out of ordinary revenue, which is approximately £12,400/, the Hospital and Charitable Aid contribution being

£78(3 10s find office expenses £I2OO. 'Phe .County Engineer estimates that, for urgent work required for the ensuing year, £14,375 8s will be necessary" s<> that there will have to be a ( great increase in rates for the year, it seems that this, at the same time, is going to press very hard on some ratepayers lor, at the present time, there is apparently £IOOO of outstanding rates, and it appears to me that no man would pay 10 per cent, extra on his rates if his financial position were sound enough for him to meet Ids payments. Then there is only a narrow strip of Country in the North Hiding which could be called even fair land; from 2f to 3 miles to the westward of the Mountain Hoad to the Forest Reserve the land will lie for some years a heavy tax on the occupiers owing to the amount of timber, which is very expensive to clear. The country some three or four miles to the east at the northern end of the County is very broken and not suitable for dairying except in a few instances; the earth roads to the east are very badly graded; in fact, the sections are almost inaccessible, and dangerous was after sunset. The Council would regard it as a favor if you would allow Mr Lopdcll, the County Engineer, to take you to the eastward and westward. Then I am sure you would see for yourself, sii, if it is a fair thing to ask these settlers to pay more than they are pacing at the present time to make roads for the travelling public, who aie generally wealthy people, and people who would never travel over these •roads, but for the initiation of the motor car. The Council thinks it is only fair that these people should pay something towards the cost of a good road; if not by a toll-gate, bj some other means of taxation. -Ihe Council would be quite satfslied with an increased Government Subsidy, oi something equivalent, to put the mam road in the condition suggested. In addition to the motor traffic, there is a vast amount of stock traffic from the plains near the sea coast which contributes nothing to the roads in this County, although, if our own settiers wish to go, by a good road, tc Opunake or round to New Plymouth they would have to pay two and three tolls. This Council was never consulted with regard to the establishment of either of these tolls, then wh> should there be any objection now tc the Stratford County’s application This Council has'never suggested that neighbouring local bodies should be asked to contribute to our roads. We are well aware that any contributions from them would pressed very hard oi those least able to bear them. P must be admitted that, but for the large amount of money borrowed b\ the County for the construction o Roads, the Borough would not be u as prosperous condition as it is; then should be no opposition there. Strut ford County has borrowed somethin}. ’ like. £125,00b,. not ■ including that foi roads now ill the; Wliaugamomom County, for which the settlers have to pay about £5500 per annum. Whei the Taranaki County’s finances were in a bad state and the roads were oui of order, they erected a toll-gate oi the Mountain Road near Tariki to helj them out. The Council intended te spend all revenue from the toll-gat' in improving the main road. I thinl 1 have shown that our application n not an unreasonable one, as the pie sent Government subsidy on rate amounts to only £1520 per annum which is very small, when compare' with the great amount of foreigi I traffic passing over the County Roads Your tally and the one taken by tin Council prove that the amount of ioi eign traffic is great. I would ask you permission for one of the btratfoi' councillors present to he allowed ,t< reply after you have heard what evi deuce there may be given against tin County Council’s application. Sydney Pitt, farmer, said he ha' farms in different parts of the dis trict. He did not think the suggest ed re-valuation would cover the posi tiou. The unimproved value of on of his farms was £l3 per acre, th rental fixed was 8s 5d per acre, fixe in 1912. The rates fixed are 4s Id pc 1 acre. A farm such as this was rate ■ up to the hilt. Several of his farm were paying four special rates in ad dition to the general rate. One sec tion was valued at £4, and the late are £2 10s per acre. One of his farm was of 593 acres, the rates being £6 ' per annum. The Stratford Count, Council had not spent Is on the road within three miles of this section. Thu outlying farms on unmetalled road were being bled to maintain metallc roads elsewhere. He paid £24( 19 this year for rates on about 200 acres. He had land in the Taranak County, and the stock traffic betwoei the two counties was heavy. As on who used the roads in both counties be would prefer to pay the toll. 1 Stratford put a levy on outside bodies the outside bodies would in their tun put a levy on Stratford. The Nortl Riding is roughly £3OOO overdrawn The Riding accounts were kept sep a rate. As this riding was hopeles.sk in debt, other means should be devise and the toll-gate was the most suit able. If Stratford got a grant iron Taranaki, Taranaki would look for i [grant from Stratford.

I To Mr Quilliam: lie favored a tollgate strongly. He owned a motor car. He dealt largely in stock, which he ( shifted from one part of the district o the other. He considered the levying 'on other districts would he unjust. The Stratford Council should maintain the road supplemented by Government assistance. Stratton! was valued 1 " 1909. Generally only the dairy lam had incerased in value since 1909. Hough land had not done so. He would ( 'rather pay a toll than pay,an extra Ul I in the £ in rates. To Mr Murdoch; The Mountain Road at present is in a bad state. Stratford could get metal cheaper than Hawera. To Mr Boon—The properties mentioned by him were, not on the Mountain Road. The hulk of his stock would not pay toll if they came to Stratford, j lf thev went to Inglewood they would !pay toll. His stock would go where the price was best. I Francis Joseph Mackay, farmer, said he paid rates in Stratford Borough and also in the County. He appeared for the settlers who live in the north-east of Stratford County. Land in this district is valued from £3 to £«• ■ Rates were from ‘2s to 4s 6d per acre. The Stanley Road is an expensive road, and at present they had a new bridge to erect at a cost of £6OO. 'Hus expenditure would create a new rate. The road would have to Tie re-metalled, ■ 1 which would cost them from £6OO to J£7oo per mile. He pointed out that ■ 'settlers on the Stanley Road had to ■ p av £ls in rates on the Mountain i Road which they used very little. He i favored the toll-gate. The settlers in t t the north-east district had deputed ; him to represent them

To Mr Boon—Cattle can avoid the toll-gate by travelling a further seven or eight miles. He would prefer to pay the toll than go to that trouble. To Mr Quilliam: He would pay tbe toll. He was prepared to pay the toll. Cattle driven to Waitara would use 10 miles of Stratford roads and about 20 miles in Taranaki County. Motorists, in his opinion, were prepared to pay tolls if they were given good roads. The toll-gate was the best means of getting extra funds. The Commission then adjourned till 2 p.m. After tbe adjournment it was j arranged that the outside bodies be I beard first, as the contest was-really between the Stratford Borough and the Stratford County Council.