TOLL GATES AGAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1921, Page 4

TOLL GATES AGAIN.

The logic of toll-gates is more toll-gates. That fact is becoming more apparent in Taranaki every month. The Government, choosing the line of least resistance, some years ago gave permission to some of the counties to erect a few gates. Now neighboring counties want the same privilege. Waimate is hemmed in by gates, and naturally wants to ge4 back some of its own; Egmont is in the same position, and is the latest body to make application for permission to put up gates. Taranaki county has for years been trying to surround New Plymouth with gates, but up till now has been thwarted. The Minister for Public Works, however, in a weak moment, offered to refer its, application to the inevitable commission, and the County Council is hopeful of carrying the day. So unless the Government puts its foot down strongly, we will soon have studded with tollgates, and an unrestricted King’s highway will be aX thing of the past, so far as this province is concerned. The latest applications should bring home to the Government the absurdity of the toll-gate system when carried to its logical conclusion. It can be justly claimed by Taranaki, Egniont |and Waimate counties, that they are entitled to have toll-gates as well as their neighbors, who have been exacting considerable revenue for many years from t£e users of their roads, and not sharing it with the other counties. In sheer defence the latter are now asking for similar rights. Public interest and public policy demand, however, that there shall be no more toll-gates, and that pending the substitution of main road control by the Government, and thereby the removal of the present toll-gates, the revenue from the latter should be divided amongst the various local bodies concerned. Eor example, Stratford levies toll by means of its Waipuku gate on all through traffic. Stratford maintains much less of the main road than Taranaki or Inglewood counties. The revenue should be allocated in proportion to the amount of road maintained until the new scheme of road control comes into force. Had the Government done its duty in -this important matter years ago, there would have been no necessity, for tollgates, nor would the present extraordinary position have arisen.