TOLL GATE SYSTEM

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 25, 29 July 1932, Page 8

TOLL GATE SYSTEM

OPPOSED .1 -,'v,*.' <■

THE .PAREMATA SCHEME

MINISTER. DISAGREES

The principle of reintroducing the toll.g^te'system was opposed by a deputation from the North Island Motor U,n;on and1 the New Zealand Master Carriers' Federation, which waited on the ' Acting-Minister >of Public Work's to-day. -While not objecting to the construction of the- Paremata Bridge as ai nteansi'of; readier-access to Pliminciton<"and Pukorua Bay, the deputation took .exception to., toll. charges at the bridge' on the ground that it would afford a precedent for similar charges elsewhere in Now Zealand. Introducing, the deputation, Mr. H. G. Dickie, M.P., said they had thought the toll gate question was buried for ever, and they were surprised to see it advocated in connection with tho Paremata Bridge proposal. It|Was made-clear by Mr._ W. O'Callaghan, 'president of' the North Island Motor 'Union,' that they did not object to^ihe bridge; they thought it was quite a good idea, but they wished to combat tho," toll , gate principlo from the na-tional-viewpoint. Years ago the motorists agreed to be taxed for the purpose) of the main highways. Last year it-.was agreed that the Government should have the benefit of the bulk of the taxation revenue, and the Consolidated Fund was left with a beggarly few. hundred thousand pounds to keep the'roads in ropair. In effect, what was' suggested now was the imposition Qf a 'second form of taxation on the motorists, and they must strenuously object ( to .that. "POLITICAL FAVOUR." Mr. E. A. r ßatt said they saw many advantages, in the erection of the bridge, and they were fully aware that ,_ Its use would^be purely optional, but they wero^seriously concerned about tho precedent that would be created. "The promoters, of bridge scheme," he said, "have not gone a*bout their bridge jrqposal in the right way. In the first placfi',,th.ey i are largely property owners .who .will reap the advantage of betterment p wh en the scheme goes through." The 'ratepayers' were not prepared to tn.eet.any special rating to pay for the bridge, ,and that was hardly the right attitude , to,adopt. Practically any lojesX body in New Zealand to-day could use the same .argument, for they were all-affected financially. The promoters had; mad© the-mistake of approaching the. Government in a political way in OTder to curry favour and have the bridge-built from the political aspect, instead of going to the Highways Board ;and endeavouring to obtain a road-and, bridge as. a secondary highway, to be financed in tho customary way. ,Mr.' Batt said they were particularly concerned, about the Minister's suggestion to tho local people that the' schpme should bo enlarged to cm.brace a scheme; for a road right through tOjPaekakariki, financed by means of toll, charges. That was tho biggest bombshell they had had for years. It was said that the, toll gates would be only-temporary, but Mr. Batt was of opinion ,that they would remain for a generation. ■ He contended that tho County > Council estimates of revenue •were inaccurate. Once the toll gate principle was conceded, there would bo toll gates from North Cape to tho Bluff, la-conclusion, he said they thought t&ey knew Mr. Coates's mind in the matter, and they urged that tho matter be not hurried, and that a general survery of the proposal be made by the Public Works Department and the Highways Board. • f"»EraQQBADE AND VICIOUS." A. Grayson described the toll gate principle as retrograde'and vicious, and added that it was apt to grow to unknown dimensions. The president of tho Master Carriers' Federation, Mr. A. J. Curtis, said that 'from the economic point of view' tho railways might -have a say concerning the 'construction y of a road and bridge givipg parallel means of access to Plimjnerton. ' Af lengthy statement was handed to the Minister on various aspects of the .toll gate,'question, citing experience in other countries. The heavy cost of collecting fees was stressed.-and it was urged that the toll bridge, rather than being sound in 'principle, was an imposition on motorists. "Motor taxation to-day is paying for toll bridges which were abolished seven years ago " the statement concluded, "and any proposal to tako siicn a retrograde step is viewed seriously by automobile, associations. '' .PTJBEI.Y OPTIONAL. The. Acting-Minister (the Hon. C. E Maemdlan) said he could hardly aerco with their arguments. If the proposed' road was a main highway it would be entirely;different.' But- it was not a mam highway; it was a proposal to provide better access to" a particular disJ" ctv. i T. her S was a road already, and •therefore! it .would be quite optional whether the new road should bo used. Xhero was no proposal at present that »sy-Government money should be nut lntO'the scheme, apart from a suggestion that relief labour should be subThI He p i 5r Om wtb? Une«npl°yment Fund. The Public-Wojks r und was in guch a condition that it could not find any contribution towards tho scheme, and be was advised by his officers that even the small amount that might be paid in •übmdy should in their opinion bo returned to, tho fund. "For the first time in the history of New Zealand'" he added, "we may this year have no estimates at all, or at any rate they may be of such a nature that thero will bo no- estimates for expenditure on the backblocks." He appealed to the deputation to recognise that if it was desired t o> provide, better access to a district it was'right that the users of the road and bridge should contribute to the cost. It was not a matter of compulsory use of the route. Mr.-Macmillan went on to refer to his previous remarks concerning the possibility, of road access being extended along" tho. coast to Paekakariki, and ho ventured the opinion that there was no [motorist'who would notrbe glad to pay atoll charge of 2s to traverse such a route. He repeated that if the bridge scheme was.adopted as a moans of convenience and- saving time tho only means of financing it was by requiring v 7' . The dePntation, he 68,1(1,.had,n0t convinced him that where a district was prepared to pledge itself! to the construction of a road and bridge purely as a'means of access, tho district affected should not be entitled to make .a,charge .when there were optional routes. y .