TOLL ABOLITION IN TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 127, 3 June 1902, Page 2

TOLL ABOLITION IN TARANAKI.

NBCEfeSITY FOR A BRIDGE LOAN. TAB CHAIRMAN'S SCHEME. At the County Council mooting on Monday the chairman, Mr H. Okey.i presented a report of the Council's j financial position in view of the promised abolition of tolls on 31st March next. He pointed out tbat since making Ins financial sl-ai ement eighteen months back, whan ho was sanguinis of being able 10 abolish tolls without any ii crrusje of taxation, certain extraordinary expenditure had occur*ed, such as tbu puichase of laud and widening the road at Fiizroy, re-giading Big Jim's Hill ut Wauara, also the Maugbralta Hill, the reinstalling of the .Break-water-road, and the extraordinary expenditure in the Paribaka Riding, which had overdrawn to the extent of £2167. The total cost of thesa works (amounted to £I2OO. Th« average cost lof ordinary up-keep of rcadi was £5534 and bridges £746 ; this was after allowing for the portion ol the Parihaka Riding taken over by the Egmont County.' With regard to the [ bridges it was evident that in the future increased expenditure would ba required, as many of the stiuctures were near the end of their life. To meet the expense of the new works on bridges (whereby the annual cost of up-keep would be lessened), he proposed that the ratepayers should be asked to sanction a special bridge relie of one farthing, upon which the Council could borrow such sums as were required from time to time for n«w work of a lasting chaiacter, such as concrete piers and iron girders. The interest o a this loan money would be so small that there would be no seed to levy any contribution under the special rate; but it could be easily met out of general revenue, if allowed y law, and if not permissible, tkoo the general rate could be lessened to rha extent of the amount levied by tb6 special rate. So far as the ratepayers were cancarned, no-additional amoont would be levied on them. Should this scheme be adopted, the ain-unt to be raised ia the county would be as follows :

Roads 4212 Bridges 400 Interest on budge loan .. 90 Administration .. .. 850 Hospital and Charitable Aid .. 865 Total 6417 A three farthings rate he estimated would produca :—£4575, Hospital and Charitable Aid £865, Miscellaneous £982, Total 6422, The Council could also raise a considerable sum by issuing carriers licenses and taxing heavy traffic. Considerable saviDg would be effected in future by use of the nawly acquire pd lant for 1 loadmaking, and as the County h»d been reduced in size, it wns possible some reduction iu offiee expences might ba made. If the ratepayers wore willing to take upon themselves an extra tax of one sixth of a penny for Hospital and Charitable Aid, revenuo and expenditure would rnee', and the roads kept up we'l.

The Chairman said that ho did not anticipate the Council would have time to consider the proposals at that meeting, but he gave the suggestions so that councillors could consider them prior to the next meeting. Mr Tate expressed his pleasure at the step taken by the chairman, and said that though it) was prebable Rome of the suggestions might require alteration, the scheme was on the right line?. Mr Hopson would have liked an estimate of the proposed expenditure on bridge work. The Chairman intimated tbat it would be limited to the amount covered by a farthing rate. The subject then dropped.