TOLL GATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1920, Page 5

TOLL GATES.

FOUR IN EGMONT COUNTY, BETTER ROADS WANTED. The high cost of maintaining the main roads against the ever increasing heavy traffic formed the'subject of discussion at the Egmont County Council meeting, on Tuesday, when the chairman gave notice to move that the rate for the ensuing year ohould he increased by a farthing. This, he considered, was the lowest they could do with. Of this l-16d should be placed to the main road, and 3-ltid for by roads, making one penny for the by roads. Cr. Green was opposed to increasing the rate on by voads, on which the Council had done nothing. In reply to the chairman, the cler!; said that an extra '/id would produce £IB3O. The. overdraft at the end of the year would bo about £10,400, whereas last year it was £9,393 and, the previous year £2807. Cr. Campbell did not favor increasing the rates Wherever they looked they had toll gates, and the only solution was to have toll gates. On Sunday 50 or 00 cam came to Opunnkc, and were cutting the roads to pieces. Cr. Sinclair said that he would favor toll gates, if he thought they would catch enough foreign capital to warrant their existence. Cr. Green: You're too late. While we slept they worked. Cr. Campbell said that they would get the same revenue at their toll gates as the other local bodies did. Cr. Green said that they must bear in mind that they would be taxing their own people- Though, of course, what they paid in tolls they, would save in rates. He did not believe in the principle of toll gates, but seeing that others had them there was no reason why they should not. He thought that Ihev should nnpronch the Government and ask that the additional tax put on the totnlisator should be retained and devoted to the upkeep of the roads, which sustained considerable damage from race traffic Cr. Young considered that they should ask the Taranaki and Eltham Counties to give them a share of the revenue or else erect toll gates of their own. They could erect a joint toll gate with Waimate. who had no toll gate against Ihem. They must do something, as the roads were goinj hack, and it would be a big burden to the ratepayers to maintain them. Tie favored raising the Ta'tesV but could not );ee how 'thejv enuld raise them hisrh enough to do what was required. It was only reasonable to nsk the Government to contribute some of the totalisator Revenue. C\: Green sugecsted that joint toll 'rx'-y should be placed on the boundaries of the counties. The chairman said they would never keep the'road in repair unless they got a toll gate. He. sympathised with counties that had toll gates. Cr, Young did. not like penalising the ratepayers. Cr. Campbell: If you Penalise them through the tolls, you would no.t through the rate* Moreover, you would catch the Maoris, who don't pay rates. Tt was resolved, on the motion of the chairman and Cr. Oamnbell, that apnlication be made to the Minister for Inter-, nal Affairs for permission to erect four toll gatea. viz.. one at Punilio. one each "i the Eltham, Skeat and Main South Roads.