RE TOLLGATE QUESTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 76, 18 April 1901, Page 2

RE TOLLGATE QUESTIONS.

TO THE KIHTOIt. Sir, —1, on b-shalf of captain ratepayers, wrote to the Council asking | tha'i the Omata lollga*e should be dis-

continued on the grounds that it was ' an obrt -xi >ua tax, that it was detri- i mental to value of properties, and also ; that it was an obsolete mods of tixa- • tion, and I received a raply the ellec 1 .; ot which was that if I got a substantial majori'y of tho whole County they I would consider the question. This meant waiting at, leist one year before any defitu'e action w v.ild take place. In consequence of this f called a mee'ing of rat- piyars in my dis ! rie.t which wns held in the Omuta Hull, There were 32 ratepayers in attendance, who considered tint the reply of the Oouuo.il was so absurd that it was decided to opsn a roul through private property so as to escape the tollgate. Mr, Mills kindly offered the use of his property through which a road was made leading from the South Road into tte Barrett Road. one mile from the tailgate, nnd which rond is of toll. When the road through Mr, Mill's farm was finished the majority of the public ined it, and in ronsequanco the Council to k actios against two comp-trai ive s'r.mg»r.', Missis. Rwlings and Fermnson for evasion < f the toll. Mr. Riwiings was oiled upon to plead guilty or net and he replied in the negative, H : s Worship, after hearing couiis 1 on both sides of the quesfron, ('oci-'it I that tolls hid Heeo collected illegally for 8.) years. Af er this ru'ing tho majority of the public m.ads u?e of the public road without paying toll. The Chairman then sent the nufnceff:an. R volts, to detect any pwon |> wring thivugh the toll withoift piyingi The tir»t person detected was J). Hooker, expci sman, who refused to ply on the grounds 'hat it was illeg], An »v4ioa wasj then taken ngiijiaS him in the K.M. Court, with the a true lvsult as tto pre vious case, The Council then appealed and the appnal wr.n he&'d ii.i'j-e Mr. Justice Ocnolly, who ruled tha.t the de- , oision of the lower Court was wrong, i Further advice w«s taken, and on the s'rersg'.h of it a subsc:ip"ion list was ■ opened for the ptn p0.?9 of defraying {.hp ; cost of an apjjei', r f r,t} ib» appended Hit JjsViqws hqw wide the response was. Thi--. I showfd "plainly 'ttiat tfiere" is a ve.y t strong feeling against tolls generally, i s,nd not by "tsiprQoiii lciufers as • Mr. sjforrocks( describes t'ue dj-.couten' s, but nnny of Gyp- best sattleiy. Mr. ■ Horrocbs, at the last Council raoeticg, r stated that a representative body of i ratepayers uev<<r paMtioce.l or w.iitel s on the Council to abol'sh toKgates. 1 Perhaps he is tight in a seme, but at a j mating at Opunaka a resolution v.as . passed and forwarde! (,o tl>>» (_' mnrjl; ; al«o froni a e vr.o I'inj s held Rajiotu. And I, on bi'half of | the OtULta taxpayers, a'so wrote to, tjho 1 same effect tq the tloi.,nciL tyv. llor- ) rockpolsq tto taogiUWhame ' has been presented to the Council f.voit 1 without. Kurcly there onghfc tu be 5 suffio'ent brains within, considering the » Conn oil has all data before it, The <oll was fl'gv cyll'rOtei fcerne 30 yea's ago, , f.tia continued forpome 17 years. Then i they were allowed to lapse for thrna " yeirs, and rekewe 1 cm aocoytiii ' of ((«:)•.( wh«U fiii vlo i r.vay sevoral'bridges. In was iit u found ncc ssary ,to collo -t a upe ial , rate or toll. This wts plaeo I hc-foi-e tho rat'-pi/ers, who deciikd in !_ Favour of tolls for throe yaais as submittfd to tbem by the then C..uonil. The revenue »t this time was only £3300 per annum at Jd rates exclud-, , ing t ills. Now the amount is Ja7o'A • at 2-3 d r.te. If the fu]! rate iietn striKik twq the raunty wou'd ■ Inve been £lßllß better oil'. Th« ' present valuation ofthedistrifl.MViOiiiitj to .£1,618,182. This wn.s mm!.! two vears sgo, ami I oonsidor lam within liouuds in estimitibs- tlmfc tiie mxt valuation will exece l £2,000,000 at tlw end of the current year. IT lam > i.<>ht in my rstimate the rr.venue waul 1 i x ceed iJT.fiOO at a .Jd rate without tolls, bang some .£2OO more than the pi es <ut revenue with tolls We aie on ihe* vo ( of an eh e ion and I Ims". tt >3 i \ ■ will sea th«ir way yo >'c.to fc ; r v,iio,-e who. are against Kills, as they are a bar to program and an unfuie mode of taction, I siy without fear of contradiofion that mora t.inn iialf the pu lie using the roads do no'-piy to'ls at all. I believe that it would be in the interest of the ratepayers if the Counties Act was puspended, end the administration c.f th.< roads, etc., placed in the hands of the Roid Board- . The lloid Beards would get 10s subsidy for every itt taised in rate?, as against 5s received by each.—l am, etc., A. Bayi.y. Ornate, April 16t.h. 1

The following is the list of subscribers refened to, the aggivgato amount by thf'tn hir g £\?,t. 'i'm r ■ are four lists yet to come which will considerably swe'l tie above amount. Wrn. Bayly, K. Oletnow, A. Bayly, i). Penwarden, Monto Mills, Jan, Hooker, Pi'■-f- Bro'hers, M. K'lly, H. Linn, J,

0. Montefio'e, J. Cro k-tt, W, Jury, T S. W(-ston. F. Orbe'l, A. G. Bishop A. Harrison, IM. 'iv.n.n, li r A£«ee. Jj, |-|. li'tylv, J. Hawlcsa;, (!. Giver, W. P. Bishop, B. Dwo-, G, All wood, J. Hart, S'lle B.others, A, Pirmston, D, Ho her, D, McOuinu is, Prank Ans'is, 11. Rodlamis, ,\r. Itunson, G.W.F., T.W.H., D. McAlhun,

Doodles, W. F. .Norbmy, J. K., A Friend, Dummy,G. Cork, (J.O. Miwke, J, Meboan, C. Hm-i*, J. Jurv, A. K Sykes, J. W, West, Thomas Mur.-dioll. R. It omonjer, Arnold George, J, (I, Ui-orge, C. F. Buckthought 1,, Hye»inan, \V. Seatnqrji', J'. lii:imond, 0. ftigo, Capniijn Miice, K. Oortlieu-, A. Baker, 0. Wills, J. 0. Dnnou-, E. M IHI, Geo Tabor, Churn, F. S oLr, Geo. Sole, G. A. Colson, 11. A, Wood, Fr. d Nowslmm, ('. A, Brown, PeH.lie, 10. Allen, 0. F. Atkinson, J. VVyllic, K, K\il!o', A, Djuglas Gray, A. ('Maud, G. SmitH, T. Furlong, j, Avery, Hendry, A.Setft I'd, J Onlpit, 0 G., ,1 Mills, G. Davy, J. Goodwin, Oo<;-1 ArJen, H. Oorbrtt, W. Wet-tori, Kioil Mills, Hy. Edwards, P. Co tier, J, O Gly.ies, P. Putt, Ej, Jam.* Tngley, G, Bob, J. Caddy,' "W, Ros-% Jainus lV.veridg•, H. McLievr, Wil-

liara Jeiikinson, H Wallsth, W. Wilson, A. E. Watkiiif, <J. Cii 1, Dtig»l.l Thomsos, Jesse Jas, Hill, Eaglets, K

Russel 1 , V. Mdndoe, .11. Jff. Sole, H«[/h A. McCHancl, A. Lawn.T. PenWjuvlen, R, Oock, J. Gcori't', R. Uoneyli'dd, 11 u»li P, Mills, Thot>. Julian, K Gill.