TOLL-GATE ABOLITION.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1917, Page 5

TOLL-GATE ABOLITION.

- MR. WILKINSON'S BILL. By Wire.—Our Parliamentary Reporter. Wellington, Sept. 12. In the House tais evening Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Egmont) moved the second reading of the Tollgates Abolition Bill. He said his Rill proposed to abolish toll-gfcies for good and all, and to provide machinery for the adjustment of disputes between local bodies regarding the maintenance of connecting roads. The in Taranaki had become an intolerable nuisance. Five counties had tollgates. The argument that the tollgates were required to provide revenue for road maintenance would not stand examination, since the Waimate county, with the best roads, had no toll-gates. The ioll-gato system was threatening to spread, and it ought to be swept away. Mr. G. V. Pearco OP'atea) supported the Bill, If the system initiated in 'Pttranaki was allowed to continue, it would trouble the whole country. Taranaki had got tollgates because of the division of tli<' counties. The charges were often very high—up to 3s fid for a motor ca'-' and 30s for a traction engine. When one county created a toll-gate in ortler to raise revenue, a neighboring county was compelled to have a toll-gate to protect its own ratepayers. The cost of maintaining tile gates was considerable, and the whole system was watefnl. Mr. Ell: How do you account for so many local bodies supporting toll-gates? Mr. Pearce: They we getting the revenue. They have been forced into thfc position because one toll-gate produced another. It would not be fair to abolish one toll-gate and leave the others. The whole lot should be swept away. The debate was adjourned.