THE WHEEL TAX.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 June 1919, Page 2

THE WHEEL TAX.

To the Editor. Sir,—ln Tuesday's News you favor the Taranaki County Council with a sub-leader criticising their action ro the above. Incidentally, you extend us your sympathy (for which I thank you) ancl go oa to say that you are sure we made a very great mistake in proposing such a very drastic means for gaining relief. Whilst still open to conviction I must say that I don't share your opinion, notwithstanding all the criticism we hare been subjected to so far from the press, public and local bodies. Therefore we must ngTee to differ on the matter. We realise that it is a disadvantage !o ha-'e boih local papers in opposition, because 0.1 l argument are, In my opinion, bett'r brought. out when sides aro taken, even if private opinions do not correspond. We need not be uhduly concemod about that, .io<vaver, for the greater the opposition the more joyous the light, and If our aetion only accelerates the bringing, into operation of ft satisfactory Dominion scheme, then some good wl.l Le done, although we have to bear the odlu'i! fur the time telng.. That this will be done is a foregouo conclusion from the attention that is belim given iho proposal. We are as one as to ihe motor.'sfr being agreeable to an annual tax of £3, providing it is expended in maintaining food roads. Wo ask him for the first Ave, and ho juffers to injustice until asked for a seco.'id In the same year. Seeing that U impos'JlSle in TAranaM, where Is the hardship? You .say ihit Ihe proposition Is generally condemned by ratepayers throughout Taranaki, but there '3 iltila evidence forthcoming to substantiate that opinion. Sat-' urday's meeting certainly did not. Odd individual ratepayers did speak against them, but the general opinion was <n favor of toll-gates. Would you favor them as' being fairer and more acceptable?, If nn wc shall appreciate your help in getting tliem established, for it would meet our requirements. We admit the by-law as read is unfair in its operation, but it Is a means of entering a protest against the present Intolerable position, and will bear good fruit. Other local bodies, as you say, are buffering a similar injustice, and we hope 'that they will ultimately benefit by the action ,we ■") now taking, Waimate and Kgmcnt are not . i anyway similarly situated, for they have little more than their own traffic to deal with, whilst we hare to carry a large amount of traffic from other counties as well as our own. I believe with you that when the main roads are laid with tar the upkeep should be less, but It will be some time before we can hope to have all our main roads so treated. We want some relief now. As to the justice or otherwise of the proposal, I have no doubt we shall hear much from the deputation which Is to wait on the council prior to confirmation 011 July 7th, and I am sure that our council will give every consideration to the opinions expressed. We are quite desirous of pulling together with the other local bodies of Taranaki In this matter. We have a remit going forward to the Dominion Counties Conference on the subject, which we hope they will all support. The New Fly-mouth-Opunake railways, all will agree, should be pushed locally and pushed hard. It is of no use waiting for the Government to do It If It's to be of use for our generation. Finally in reference to press criticism, we da not object, but rather welcome it when fair, as It enables the public to form a more correct opinion of the matter under consideration. Are your deductions from the Stratford County meeting quite unbiassed ? A .-notation was carried condemning the by-law certainly, but my reading or the discussion led me to believe that councillors had a lot of sympathy with our position, for they had tried to put by-laws Into operation themselves on a previous occasion, and, falling that, had succeeded In getting a toll-gato eroded, which gives them the relief sought. We cannot get toll-gates, so are trying other means. Would others, had they similar powers, not do the same? Many local ? ' am BHre > "HI be watching our efforts at relief with Interest, for the position is equalIy acute with tbem, though they are saying little publicly. I sincerely hope that a satisfactory Dominion scheme will be the outcome of our present action.—l am, etc., .T. S. CONNETT. (Our correspondent admits the unfairness of the by-law. Why then have Introduced • AjJT.Mm 8 He also asrees 1,3 to the advisability of the various local bodies working together. Why, then, antagonise them bv a by-law admittedly unfair? Mr Connett seems rather exultant over the Idea of "getting ;? early with the tax, but we may remind him that It Is not always advisable to exercise any power that savors of unfairness or alienates the goodwill of friends and neighbors. We reffret we cannot hold out any hope of support for toll-gates. for the reason that we regard them as an evil expedient thatshould not have been allowed in any enlightened country, and we look forward to the time when they will be' a thing of the past, and the main roads taken charge of by the Public Works Department, or a bigger subsidy (derived, If you will, from a general motor tax) given by the Government for the purpose of their maintenance. In that direction lie 4 can rely upon our heln, and also for the completion of the coastal railway which would afford the county the relief lt 'sseks