NOT AN EXTRA TAX

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 18, 21 July 1932, Page 10

NOT AN EXTRA TAX

Writing froni Palmcrston North "Go Ahead" criticises the opposition of the Automobile Club to the Faremata Bridge proposal. Refening to the club argument thot motorists are already overtaxed "Go Ahead" submits that a toll is uot an extra tax in the ordinary sense as the motorist will not pay; it unless htp uses the bridge, and if he uses the bridge ho will save on running costs. Concerning the plea that the work is "not yin the national, interest"' the correspondent asks if the motorist's interest is not to have the shortest routes on the best and safest roads possible? "This meets tho,desired end <ot the motorist to the fullest extent. If it. v the duty of the club to protest against waste in road making surely it should have protested before this to the Highways Board over spending so much on the Porirua-Para-mata Main North road, laying down an expensive bitumen road and in a few months putting down 'almost a parallel road at some of the bends. In my opinion, and I believe in the opinion of mo»t motorists, the national plea is all in the opposite side. Tho national interest at the present time is to find appropriate work for the unemployed, not merely to put in time, but work which will mean a permanent saving to the community. This project, it' tarried thiough, will provide an'opportunity of employment of more than 100 men, a work which the unemployed willbe able to put some heart into." What men can do when given useful work in ■which they cqn be interested has been shown in the creditable road improvement canied out in the past year by the Jlutt County Council between Plimmerton and Karehana Bay. "If the same spirit is put behind the much-needed and long looked for improvement to tho Wellington-Plinimerton road, then it would soon be*an accomplished fact. I fool that Wellington.people and the Wellington .City Council, also the Railway Department, aie not alne to tho great asset they have so iie.ir the city in Plimmwton, Karelian,i ff'id Pukerua Bays. What has the 1-iailwav Department clone to improve the tr.ivvlljnq fucihtich between l'hmm-r+ri-» -»*A Wellington in the la*-t twenty joins? Iline is no plate on the coast which appeals to me as being ncdiot to the eceuory on the West Coast of Scotland more than the scenery around Porirua, Paremata, Plimmerton, and Karehana Bay. Once the bridge is put over'-the estuary it would also be the first step to the new road to the North, cutting out Paekakariki Hill and taking the road round' the coast. Members" of the Wellington Qlub should make an effort to register their opinion against the official attitude 6f the club', and do their utmost, to see' that this bridge-^-n public improvement—should be carried out as soon as possible. Many visitors along the Main Trunk would be visitors to Plimmorton every year but the danger and difficulty of Retting out and in to Wellington by car h«H always been against their residence there."