ISOLATING NEW PLYMOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1919, Page 5

ISOLATING NEW PLYMOUTH.

THAT OBNOXIOUS BY-LAW.

The vehicle licensing by-law being brought down by the Taranaki County Council for confirmation at its next meeting was the subject of some strong remarks at the meeting of the Egmont County Council yesterday. The matter was brought before the nctice of tho meeting by a letter from the New Plymouth Borough Council, asking for concerted action.

The chairman said that the proposals certainly were very drastic The effect would be that neither Egmont County settlers nor their produce could go in or out of New Plymouth without paying the license. He would not object so much to the proposal if there was a railway that they could use. but there was not. He did not know what was behind the by-law, but the idea was probably to compel people to use the railways, and keep people from using the roads who did not contribute to them.

Cr. Green: "They want to isolate New Plymouth." The proposed by-law did not, he said, catch outside traffic, as it only applied to Taranaki local bodies. The chairman said that the matter would be fully considered at the Taranaki conference.

Cr. O'Brien advised caution. No doubt Taranaki County Council considered the by-law necessary, or they would not have introduced it. It was not within the province of the Egmont County Council to interfere with the liberty of another council, for they themselves would resent similar acticn.

The chairman said they had a preemptive right, as they were practically sleeping partners of the Taranaki County Council, inasmuch as they contributed £llOO per annum through the tolls to Taranaki. Their produce h?l had to b« carted to the harbor. It would be different if they could send their produce to Patea or elsewhere.

Cr. Green said that the sfttlers in the Egmont County were locked in. They had no railway or seaport, and their only way out was through the Taranaki County, and for it to talk of imposing such a tax was a downright pcanda*. Such men should b; tarred and feathered. "I'll be pleased to make one to tar and feather them, including the chairman,""' he added. Continuing, Cr Green said that if the Taranaki County. Council could not keep up the New Plymouth end of tlia road Egmont Comity Council would be willing to take it over, and keep it up out of the toll.

The chairman said that the road to New Plymouth was most important to their district; in fact, they could not exist without it, a, it was their arterial road. He had never objected to the establishment of the tollgate. but did object to the proposed license Cr. Green said if other local bodies took similar action *he land would not be worth living in. Cr. O'Brien said he had overlooked the tollgat'es. There was, however, a tendency to put everything on the farmer. Let New Plymouth look after itself. It wa3 probably actuated by self-interest. Cr. Harvey said that they should enter as strong a protest as possible. All the produce from the Egmont County had to go to the harbor, and this license fee on top of the toll was far too drastic. He moved that the council strongly protest against the introduction of the proposed by-law.

Cr. Green, in seconding, considered that they should draw attention to the fact that if Taranaki County Council was unabb to keep the coastal road open the Egmont County Council was willing to do so.

Cr. Harvey held that Egmont County Council should control the road to the breakwater.

The chairman remarked that as he had said years ago, there was no need for the Taranaki Ounty. The Moa County boundaries could be extended to the borough boundary. The jesolutioa was carried unaniiaoufla 1