ABOLITION OF TOLL-GATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1922, Page 7

ABOLITION OF TOLL-GATES.

ACTION BY EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL. APPEAL TO GOVERNMENT. The question of the abolition of toL gates was discussed at the meeting o! the Egmont County Council yesterday when tjie chairman (Mr. M. O. Brien) remarked that he was disappointed thal there no reference to toll gaten ir the Main Highways Bill. Mr. O. Hawken, M.P. for the district who was present, stated that there wa. no doubt that it was. the intention V do away with toll gates altogether Thfcy could not expect to be allowed tc have toll gates and assistance, from $ Government tax an well. The Main. Highways Bill woiild not come into operation for over a year, and no doubt next session the matter would be dealt with. A good deal .had. yet to- he done lie pointed out. that last session it wat difficult to get the Bill through and they did ’not want to introduce to< much. I The chairman said that the district greatly handicapped, being hemmed in. . \ Cr. G. Gibson asked whether then was not a resolution on the books apply ing for permission to erect toll gates. The chairman said that the counci had tried to erect txjll gates, but thi Government would not let them. Mr. Hawken said that at present th< Main Highways Biff, was in skeletal form. A good deal had yet to bo don< by the counties themselves in- regard to the straightening of the finances, and this would be a knotty point. It would not be fair to let one portion of th« county have all the advantage for the money allocated by the Government. ■The chairman then moved: “That this council is astonished at there being nc provision in the Main Highways Bill bv which the toll gates that fence is Egmont county on all sides may be re< moved, such toll gates being a direci and intolerable tax on the inhabitant of the county of Egmont; hence this council respectfully requests tho Government to cause the removal of these gates at the earliest possible date.” Cr. -S. Campbell seconded. Cr. Gibson suggested an amendment to provide for the total abolition of toll gates. The motion was too parochial. The chairman did not think they could interfere outside their own country- . ’ Cr. Giib&on: The toll gates are not in out county. < . ' ‘ Cr. H. Young seconded the amendment, which was lost, the motion being carried.