MOTORISTS AND TOLL BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 19, 22 July 1932, Page 6

MOTORISTS AND TOLL BRIDGE

(To the filltef.)

Siri^rrl have read with'considerable interest the article which appeared in the "Evening Post", last evening, wherein the president of ttte Wellington Automobile Club (Mr. E. A. Batt) endeavours to make the club's attitude towards the proposed suspension bridge at Paremata more clear to the public. Mr. Batt prefaces his remarks by saying that the club opposed the scheme eole^ ly on account of the toll system, which he contends will-mean increased taxation to the motorist. Apparently the Automobile Club finds it convenient to overlook the true advantages and the direct benefit to the motorist of a toll bridge at Paremata* because for every penny paid by way of toll, the motorist wOI save twopence in running costs— to gay nothing of the time saved, and five'miles of dangerous road cvt1 off the trip tdPlimmerton and Pukerua Bay. Hence every person of average intelligence can see that the motorist h'M absolutely everything to gain and nothing whatever to lose when the bridge ir erected? " ■ • ■ t It is' really difficult p| to understand how a body of men who are supposed to represent the interests of the motorist can fail to see this point of view. No, Sir, it certainly, does appear that tike club for some unknown reason intends to" do* its best to block the' bridge, as without a doubt their attitude is nothing abort of ludicrous. ■" ' '.<•',. ■ <. In my last letter, T suggested that a poll of the motorists on Ih* subject was tho only fair way to decide ;tb*'question, but, unfortunately the club's, ekeectivi. has not yet seen fit to take this Btep. Howover, I venture to say that the verjr fact that the club will not give the motorist a chance to speak fer himself shows a very grave weakness. Jf the club is not sporting enough* to- move in this direction, I would like io see the Hutt County Council take a,poll for itself and so prove to the Wellington Automobile Club's executive that their personal views in regard to the Paremata bridge are very different from those of club members and motorists generally.—l.am, et« v /

A CHALLENGE.