THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1915, Page 7

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

SOLUTION CF THE TOLL GATE DIFFICULTY.

The disadvantages that the Egmont County Council are under, in having to pay heavy toll to the Taranaki County Council on traffic to and from the port of New (Plymouth, formed the subject of discussion at the Egmont County Council meeting yesterday. The question was introduced by a "letter from R. 0. Ellis, clerk to the Taranaki County Council, who notified in .vply to the Council's deputation at ifa last meeting that they could not see their way clear to hand over a portion of the toll revenue to the Egmont County. He pointed out that all of the Okatn riding, with the exception of Okato R< ad district, were paying heavier rates that the Pariliaka riding of the Of.unake county, and (hat the Taranaki County Council had the greatest, difficulty to maintain the Main South Road,

The chairman said that probably tho Taranaki County Council were justified in refusing the deputation's request, but lie must take exception to a remark made by Or. McAllum, in reply to his statement that he estimated that Egmont County ratepayers paid 60 per cent, of the tell. Cr. McAlhun' stated that by a return of the traffic during the last fortnight, Egmont ratepayers only paid 33 per cent, of the tolL This might have been so, but the present was an inopportune t:me to judge traffic, as most of the factories had just changed from butter to cheese, and traffic would be light. Moreover, all carriers, ex-. cept one, carting over the roads were Taranaki County ratepayers. They carted for Egmont County ratepayers, who indirectly had to pay the tolls. He could not say that he favored the Council erecting toll gates. Personally, he saw no way out of tii:> heavy tax than to advocate the completion of the Opunake railway. When the railway was brought round to Motiiroa that would solve the difficulty, but, meanwhile, if the railway wa» completed to Opunake, produce from as far as Warea could be carted along the Egmont County roads to Opunake and so avoid the toll. It would be cheaper to send produce to New Plymouth \ia Opunake. Cr. Meßeynolds did not think the toll gatekeepers' figures were very valuable. Cr. Dudley considered that Egmont paid at least £BOO of the £I2OO ton collected.

The chairman said that even if they paid SO per cent, they would not get any concession from the Taranaki Council,

A councillor: Add Die portion of the road from Oaonui to the Taranaki County Council, and thus get the benefit of the toll.

Cr. Young thought that the Taranaki County Council had believed that only 30 per cent, of the toll revenue came from Egmont County they would never have erected the toll gate. As far as paying a subsidy to abolish the toll gate, lie thought the Taranaki County would not, be satisfied unless Egmont paid the whole £IOOO. Personally, he had hoped some good would have come out of the deputation, as he considered that in asking for 20 per cent, the Egmont County were asking Utile enough. He pointed out that they were liable to he rated for the New Plymouth Harbor District, and yet to get at the i fit were penalised by a toll. The chairman said that already the toll was causin.j a lot of manures, etc., to be shipped via Opunake, and if that harbor was pushed ahtad it would undoubtedly be utiliM'd f r all shipping by coastal people from as far as Warea.