ABOLITION OF TOLL-GATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1916, Page 3

ABOLITION OF TOLL-GATES.

| CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL'S POSITION. I here was a brief discussion on the question of the abolition of toll-gates at the meeting of the Clifton County i Council meeting on Friday, when tli; opinion of the 'iiajority of the councillors was opposed to toll-gates on principle, but some of them were prepared to agree to their retention as the lesser ot two evils until some other system of tlie upkeep of roads eould be devised. The matter arose out of a letter from the Eltliam County Council notifying that a conference will be held next Wed- ' nescday at Eltharn of counties interested, for tho purpose of talcing united action in connection witli the Bill for the abolition of toll-gates, and also, if possible, to arrive at a uniform scale of charges. The letter stated that owing to pressure of business the Bill did not I come before Parliament last year, but | the feeling of Parliament was to abolish toll-gates, and, unless proper representation was made to Parliament by the . Councils interested, there was little doubt but that the Bill would pass next session. The Clifton Council were asked to appoint delegates. Cr. flicks said that if toll-gates were abolished the Government would have to subsidise the roads. It now took the Council all its time to keep up the roads. Cr. Piggott said tlicy could not ask the Government to subsidise the main road until their rates were up to the limit, 3d. Then if this was found insufficient they could let the Government collect the rates and keep the roads. Cr. Kennington: You would "kick" if the rates were 3d! Cr. Bower did not see that the conference would do any good. As far as Clifton was concerned, they could do without the toll-gate and not feel the difference, now that they had raised the rate, In counties where they had iarred roads the position was different. Now that Clifton had got rid of the | 'hospital loan their position had improved, and would bo all right in another twelve months. Of course, the roads would break up, but twenty toll-gates would be required to keep them up to the real thing. Cr. Purdie pointed out that £BOO per < annum was raised by tlie toll-gate. Cr. Kennington: If it were abolished 1 it would mean that the rates would | | have to be raised y 4 d to bring in an | equal amount of revenue. 1 Cr. l'igott considered the toll-gate was the dearest method of collecting rates. j Cr. Purdie said that were it not for the toll-gate a lot of people who were not ratepayers would use the road for ; pleasure purposes who did nob use it now. lie had no objection to the general public using the road, but they should help to maintain it. It was not right to expect ratepayers to keep roads up for the general public's pleasure. He admitted that tolls bore unjustly on a certain proportion of the ratepayers. Cr. iPigott said the money received from pleasure-seekers was very small compared with the amount that ratepayers had to pay. Ori a suggestion that delegates should be appointed, Cr. l'igott remarked that the Council should consider whether ii would support the Eltliam County Council iu the matter. Cr. lvenningon: We have a toll-gate and must support Eltharn. as toll-gates are necessary evils. C'r. l'igott then moved that the Council I do not support the action of tlie Eltharn County Council. This was seconded by Cr. Sander and carried on a division, the voting being: For, the chairman, Crs. Pigott, Old and Sander; against, Crs. Hicks, Purdie and Kennington. Cr. Purdie: That means that you approve of the abolition of toll-gates. The chairman: I favored their abolition twelve months ago. Cr. Hicks said he would like to see them abolished, but wanted first to sec some scheme devised to show that they could be done, without.