WAIRARAPA EAST COUNTY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2487, 29 December 1886, Page 2

WAIRARAPA EAST COUNTY.

A Bpeoial meeting of the East County Council was held at the County offices yesterday afternoon to determine the toll gate question. Pxesent-Crs Mackay (Ohairmrn) Beetham, Dagg, Hawkins, and Maunsell.

The Chairman said it would bo necessary .for'them to make a special order before they could take any action towards establishing toll gates. He read the rates of tolls charged under the section of the act, and said they were about double the rates formerly charged on the Te Ore Ore, road, with the exception of sheep and, cattle. The returns had not yet been received from the roadman of estimated traffic but were expected daily. . Cr Dagg inquired how the tolls would be collected.

Or W. H. Beetham said ho thought their action was premature. The people in the bush would not be worse than other people with respect to their roads. They were already most heavily taxed and they ought not to have toll gates at all. He thought tolls were premature, they were also annoying and vexatious to, the poor settlers. Other bodies had other ways of getting money and lie considered they ought to try to do without ' them, flo thought the people in the district would not have a, toll, but would rather pub up with a little mud. If they looked sharply to the tire arrangements the roads would not bo in such a condition again as they were at'present Ho would move that no toll be'established The Chairman said he had been told by Mr.G, Beetham, M.H.R., that the Government had decided to draw quantities- of metal'from the Ruamahanga to spread on the portions of road damaged by haulage of railway material, Or Hawkins thought the people would say don't put on tolls, but when the roads got out of repair deputations would call upon them to make them good,, The Chairman said he was adverse to tolls, but they could not maintain the road out of \ rates, and there was no other way out of the difficulty..' Cr Hawkins moved that two toll gates be erected at Hastwell's clearing and at the Manawatu bridge.. ' The resolution was carried, ayes-. The _ Chairman, Crs Hawkins, Maunsell, Dagg; Noes-Or Beetham,

Tho Engineer being referred to said that two roomed cottages, gate, fonce and lamp would cost £2O each.

It was resolved that tenders be called for the erection pf two toll houses, and that the Clerk arrange for preparing and publishing a scale of tolls.