TOLL-GATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 May 1921, Page 5

TOLL-GATES.

EGMONT COUNTY PROPOSALS.

FURTHER ACTION POSTPONED.

The question of establishing tollgates within the Lgmont County was to have been decided at yesterday’s meeting of the council, but, owing to the absence of three of the councillors, the question of sites, etc., was deferred, the matter only being briefly discussed. The chairman said that while he did not favor dealing with the matter in the absence of three councillors, he had given the matter a good deal of consideration. Toll-gates were expensive to erect, and he wished to be assured that the toll-gates would pay if they were put up. Cr. Chapman said, that before deciding the matter they must have an idea of the likely revenue, and in order to have that before next meeting men should be placed on the main roads to tally the traffic.

Cr. Ferguson pointed out that there was a probability of the Government introducing a tyre tax, and if that were so they would have to abolish the tollgates *as soon as they were erected. Cr. O’Brien strongly protested against councillors agreeing to a thing at one meeting and backing down at a later meeting. This was- not businesslike. They should not support anything unless they were prepared to carry it out. He agreed that the matter must be deferred in the absence tf three councillors, but he was satisfied that the ratepayers throughout the county were in favor of toll-gates, and the sooner the council erected them the better. If tollgates were not erected, the rates would have to be increased, and the ratepayers would not like that. He considered that councillors should not allow themselves to be influenced between meetings by local objections. The chairman said that he strongly favored toll-gates, but wished to be assured that they would pay. Cr. Toeland said that something would have to be done to raise revenue from outside traffic. He had spoken to several ratepayers, and with the exception of one or two of the big ratepayers they all favored toll-gates. ■After a little further discussion the matter was deferred till next meeting.