TOLL GATES.

Franklin Times, Volume XIX, Issue 40, 8 April 1929, Page 4

TOLL GATES.

SHOULD FRANKLIN HAVE THEM? ADDRESS BY LT.-COLONEL ALDRED. At the meeting of the Waiuku Branch of the Farmers' Union last Friday Lt.-Col. Aldred, County Council member for the Waipipi Riding, gave by special request, an address upon the subject of whether toll gates would be preferable to the benzine tax and the heavy traffic fees as a means of making the user of the roads pay for part of their maintenance. Col. Aldred's opinion was that toll gates, except upon roads where the traffic was exceptionally heavy would prove a costly and cumbersome method of collecting revenue. The idea of a toll-gate was of course to make the user of the road pay, and prior to the introduction of the benzine tax there was a great deal that could be said in its favour. Now, however, the conditions are materially altered. Not only is the user of the road compelled to pay something, but the roads which have to carry the greatest amount of traffic are Main Highways, and many other important roads have been declared secondary highways. Year by year more will come into this latter category. . The county, for instance, now receives £3 for £i for the upkeep of the Great South Road, and a good part of this is contributed by the users of the roads. While it is quite true that ratepayers in districts removed from the large centres get very little direct benefit from the benzine tax, and might be excused for believing that toll gates would give them more revenue it would not be fair to charge a lorry owner who is already paying heavy" traffic fees and benzine tax a toll fee in addition. One very important consideration, said Colonel Aldred, must not be forgotten, and that is if the principle of permitting local bodies to erect tollgates is conceded it would be difficult to say when the privilege ought to stop. If they are put on one road

C could they in fairness be prohibited f j upon another? It would not be fair I that the ratepayers of a district which . charged a toll on its roads should be able to go freely into another district without paying. , Refore the present taxation of motorists came into existence the toll- ( gates erected in some "places in the Dominion were a great success as revj enue-raisers. The roads in Taranaki are well-known for their quality, and in great measure owe it to tollgates. However, even if we now decided that we wished to adopt this way of raising revenue, it is doubtful if we should get permission to do so. A local body can only set up toll-gates subject to the consent of the Governor in Council, and that consent would be difficult to get to-day. We must not be in a hurry to condemn the benzine tax because we have not so far received very much from it. Last year the council received £2OOO from the heavy traffic fees, and there is no doubt that but for this the rates would have to have been increased. We can only hope, that as the Main Highways Board takes over more and more roads as secondary highways that we shall receive the relief which you will all agree has been long over-due. At the close of his address the speaker received a hearty vote of thanks.