The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 5. TOLL-GATES OR SPECIAL RATE?

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 109, 5 June 1909, Page 2

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 5. TOLL-GATES OR SPECIAL RATE?

Ilie Omata riding of the Taranaki County Council its far from unanimous oil the question of establishing tollgates on the Main South road, although the ratepayers' meeting had led the Council to -believe that, toll-gates wett preferred. Since the Council at its last meeting decided to erect the gates, the ratepayers have evidently given the: proposal deeper consideration, with the result that a largely-signed petition is understood to be ready lor musculation at .Monday's Council meeting, opposing the toll-galea and expressing preference for a special rate of one-farming. While we have no liking for the toll-gate system of collecting taxes, we expressed t the opinion thai, in the particular eiri euuistanecv of the Omata riding, earry- < ing a large transit trallie which coutnI buted nothing to ilie upkeep uf the road, the I oil-gate olfered the must

equitable means of raiding revenue. That the levying of a special rate provided the most economical, certain and satisfactory solution of the question at istue no one could gain-say. in view, therefore, of the re-opening of tile ; whole subject, the point for considers | tion is whether or uut the proposed I farthing special rate would be

j to meet the riding's obligations and the j gradual extinction of its indebtedness, j The estimated nett ordinary revenue ot j the riding, after making provision for | administrative expenses, is J-1538 per I annum. The expenditure on niainten1t ante metal alone—4l)o2 yards authorised, exclusive of the Oakura deviation—is this year noL less than X 2137. When we b ay "not less." we recollect that at last meeting of the Council one ol the I foremen in that district was called to account for having taken an additional i(JU yards to keep a portion of the road from breaking up. it should be clear to anyone, thereiure, that on the years | metal account alone the riding will be in the vicinity of JKJUU to the bad. it should be also noted that in that estimate of expenditure, no provision js made fur culverts or drain pipes, bridge repairs, royalty, rents, fencing, repairs - , | tools, supplies, or any of the many items | incidental to the Council's operations. I it is therefore perfectly clear that the | ordinary, revenue of the riding la far I irom being aiiilicient to keep the roads

going, at the present cost of Maintenance, and without making any provision at all lor reducing tile dciicit of close on £2UI)O. .So unsatisfactory a position could not continue, and no one, even iu Uuiata, desires that it should. It is absolutely necessary, in the interests of tile county as a whole, that there should be suilicicnt buoyancy about the county's finances to enable it to face such extraordinary items of expenditure a 0 are frequently associated with bad winters. At present tile Council has all too small a margin with which to meet I such a contingency as even serious damage to a bridge. The problem with Hiiiiih Omnia ratepayers are confronted, therefore, is how thev lnigiu best put their iinances 011 it more satisfactory looting. Tire lull-gules have been estimated to produce x'SUO iictt per annum, probably enabling the riding to wipe out its overdraft in four years. As an alternative to the toll-gates, the farthing special rale is now suggested, but we think «e can show that it will fail, by some hundreds of pounds annually, lo fulfil the Council's requirements. Although the riding will require during the present year not less than SUOU yards of maintenance metal, and last year found use for 4730, we will assume, m order to put the position in the fairest possible light, that only 4000 yards' should he necessary next year. This works out at an average of tiv 0 yards of metal to the chain—not an excessive allocation lo our mind. At the present price of metal lipped on the road (as 8d), plus the price of crushing, foremen's wages and casual labor (on the present average) the cosl of 4000 yards on the road would be J.'1838. To'meet that, the ordinary rate of %d produces .Ulojtj inctii, and the proposed >/ 4 A special rale would yield C.u!). or a total revenue ol t:2117. Unfortunately, however, the St. Aiiliyn town district proposal upsets the latter calculation. At any time now the new town district may be gazetted, and removed from county jurisdiction. This will rcprc-cnt an immediate loss of XWo ( ,er annum ro Omata's revenue, and must be taken into account. The amount r eally available, therefore, would be less £350, or a net revenue of X 1707, agiiinst u.i estimated expenditure of XIKJS. ,So that even with a special rate of one farthing there would still be a deficiency of £7l on ordinary

maintenance cost, and nothing to go towards reduction of tlx- riding's debit balance. Clearly (JSOO to .1:1(100 additional revenue nuwt lie provided by tlie district during the next two or 'three years. and clearly a furiliing rate will only produce half (he required amount. Kalcpayers must therefore make up I their minds to accept a hall'-penny rate if tliey desire the toll-gates to be disI peused with. I'or the first yea rat least not less than a half-penny would s'ufficc. It might be that if a saving can be effected in the cost of metal, and if a lesser quantity should be required, that the annual outlay for metal may be re'luceil to more nearly approximate tlie ordinary revenue. In the event of such an unlikely contingency, a farthing special rate might suffice during the fol- | lowing three years. The Omnia petitioners should also take note of the fact , that no provision is being made for the re-buililing of the llurford road and Plymouth road bridges which will shortly be dangerous for even milk-cart traflie. \icwing the whole subject impartially. we are forced to (lie conclusion, despite recent newspaper correspondBiits' contentions to tlie contrary, that the only alternative to the toll-gates ia a half-penny rate. We would only point out. in conclusion, (hat the rate*; over the Omnia riding, even with a halfpenny special rate, would not be excessive, and not heavier than the ratepayers in the Ifurworth riding were paying prior to the abolishing of their road boards. Kadi of these road boards levied a three-iartlungs rate, in addition to the county rate of three-farthings, uiakiii" one penny halfpenny ordinary, without taking the special rnw into account, Ihe Okatn lioad , ... ; ;, ri( , s o „| v a tarlhing rate and Oaiata three-eighths »t' a penny, making, with tlie county rate of three-farthings and the proposed special rate of a halfpenny, u total of : one. penny halfpenny au d ouc , )en „v and livc-cijfhthj respectively. AVhen it is further remembered that'the ratepayers in the llurworth riding are rated on

| .1 fin higher valuation than those in (he I Omaiii riding. the relative positions a--between H,o hit,. r oil ,l district* reveal that the kUlcr will slil i lie l««* highly ta-xod. 'fire wisest course to pursue, without doubt, is that which will relieve the ratepayers altogether of till! load of indebtedness the.v am tarry, ins for the shortest possible time, without uiidtily embarrassing tln-in. Whether by toll-gilte or a halfpenny rate is for them to decide. L'lifortuniitely there is 30 middle couivo if the desired results sire lo lit? ol>taino(|.

Till' tables of exports hh""' t'lj]l for | April anil .May tin' exports of frozen meat, dairy produce, and wool are con--ideia'lily in exetW.s of thusa 1 for tin 1 same time in jjieviutis years, while the turgo returns show shipments of wheal, oats, anil other grain on a seale that we have not seen for years. The eoncur-

rence of a strong demand and an exceptionally good liurvcfit enables this to be done witji proiit to the grower and advantage to the Dominion. On the other hand, the indications in evidence are suggestive of a continued decrease in the volume of imports in most, if not all, branches of trade, but more especially in those connected with articles of luxury. Already there are signs of partial improvement and a more sanguine tone, though we still consider that substantial amelioration'm not to be looked tor till about the end of the current > year. If, in the meantime, advantage • could be taken of the present cheapness I of money iu lite London market and . fuller supplies brought hi by the liovcrn- . meiit or others for advance on freehold . properties and for developing the un- > Occupied lands of the Dominion the proj cess of recovery would be hastened considerably and placed upon a more permanent basis."

ON TIIE >"OUUT 11 PAGE. Football Sporting. Tne .Mails. Commercial. Volunteering. Church Services. Chamber of Commerce. Tatunarunui Licensing Committee.