SUGGESTED TOLL-GATE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 268, 22 April 1915, Page 2

SUGGESTED TOLL-GATE.

IN THE STRATFORD COUNTY. ' GOVERNMENT APPOINTS COMMISSION. The following letters were received at yesterday's meeting of the Stratford County Council, regarding the suggested toll gate on the Mountain Road. The Minister of Public Works wrote that the Government was averse to authorising any additional toll gates to be erected, except as a last resource, and where no other reasonable mean's of raising money for the upkeep of the road can be devised. Under thesa circumstances if the council still desired to erect the toll gate the Government proposed that, before any final decision was come to, the whole matter be referred to a commission to take evidence, with a view to ascertaining whether or not funds cannot be obtained for the upkeep of the road by an apportionment of the cost in the manner provided by section 100 of the Public Works Act, 1908. To this ! end the Department suggested infor- ; mation as to what local authorities wore interested !n' the upkeep of the road, and what proportion of the cost of inaintaing same should, in the council's opinion, be borne respectively by such local authorities in the event of the Government not seeing its way to obtain the authorisation of the toll.

The Under-Secretary wrote on the same subject that the Government had appointed a commission to inquire into the matter, and the local bodies would have an opportunity of showing that it would suit the local bodies if a toll were erected, and if it wrb clearly proved so the commission would no jloubt report accordingly.

'■ The chairman said he would never support having any' special work done on the main road for the benefit of touring motorists 'from the whole of the North Island. The settlers should not be asked to pay half their rates for the upkeep of the road. When they had laid the road with tar macadam, put the bridges in order, etc., they could do away with the toll gate again. They could not, in justice, ask any adjoining, local body to contribute.

Councillor Worthington moved that Councillors Christoffel. Ander3on, Walter and the chairman be a committee to deal with this matter.

Councillor Baskin seconded, and it was carried.