GREEN ISLAND TOLL BAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16590, 13 January 1916, Page 5

GREEN ISLAND TOLL BAR

COUNCIL MEETS WITH OPPOSITION. DEPUTATION FROM FARMERS AND LOCAL BODIES. PROPOSAL ADHERED TO. The quest on of the erection of a toll bar at t.ho bridge over the Kaikorai Stream at Green Island has been much discussed of Lite by personß and members of local bodies likely to be affected, and a great deal of opposition has. been worked up. The Taieri County Council took tho matter up, and arranged for a deputation representing all tho local bodies from Mosgiel to Milton, together with farmers and others interested. This deputation waited upon the Green Island Borough Council at its meeting last night for the purpose o£ trying to get the council to reconsider its decision to erect the toll bar. Mr Freeman (chairman of the Taieri County Council) was tho first speaker. Ho pointed out that in 1903 a portion of tho Taieri wafl absorbed by tho Green Island Council. Before this severance the Taieri Council maintained three miles 52 chains of the Main South road of the four miles, 15 chains from Lookout Point to the Coach and Horses, and the Green Island Borough maintained 31 chains. The Taieri Council kept its portion in good order for £50 a year without the aid of a toll. After the severance the Taieri County maintained one mile 46 chains and the Borough Council one mile 58 chains. From 1905 to 1908 the average cost per year respectively for maintaining tho road was £53, £42, and £47 per mile; and from 1908 to 1911 it had worked out as follows:—1909, £43 per mile; 1910, £31—or an average for five years of £43 per mile. There was not the same amount of heavy traffic on the road now as there was before the severance, and the charges in this respect by the Taieri County were not for revenue-earning purposes at all. The traffic going south from Dunedin had to pass through the county before it reached the borough, and equally so the traffic from the south before it reached Dunedin. The bridge at which the council proposed erect; ing tho toll bar was erected by the Taieri County on a pound-for-pound grant up to £400 from the Government. The Taieri County had, however, agreed to erect this bridge irrespective of the grant, on the understanding that the Borough of Green Island woula not at some future date erect a toll over it. Tho bridge was erected at a cost of £912, plus £100 for metal approaches, etc. Added to that was 5 per cent., which went to the Taieri engineer, who at that time was on a different footing from what he was at the present time. Of the total sum, the Public Works Department paid £456, tho Taieri County £500, and _ the Green Island Borough Council's contribution was £56. "That," said Mr Freeman, "is the bridge over which you propose to erect a toll. I think I am correct in saying that not one penny has been spent on that bridge since it was erected, either by the Green Island Borough or by any other body." Continuing, Mr Freeman said that outsiders wore to be asked to pay toll at this bridge, and he wanted to know if the Green Island ratepayers were to be allowed to pass over the bridge free. As a private individual he was interested in an industry associated with Green Island. AU the employees, with one exception, resided in Green Island, and had done so since it became an institution. He thought this should weigh with the council, and he hoped that it would see its way to reconsider its. decision to erect a toll bax. Mr A. Quelch (Mayor of Mosgiel) said that there was always a reluctance on the part of the member of one local body to criticise the action of another. But in this particular instanoe the people he represented were interested. Tho Main South road was the only road leading to Dunedin City, and the imposing of a toll would mean a hardship to those people who went to Dunedin by the 'road route. He said that the Mosgiel Council waf, situated similarly to tho Green Island Council in respect to a road in that district. 'A return had been taken one day of the traffic on this road, and it showed that 100 vehicles had passed over it in one day, and 69 of these came from outside the borough. The rates levied in his borough were considerably more than thoso levied by the Green Island Borough, and their expenditure, too, was greater, but at the same time he would 'be sorry if he thought the Borough of Mosgiel ever thought of putting a toll on Gordon road. It was a retrograde step. He sympathised with the Green Island Council in its predicament, and he was sorry it could not find somo other means of getting the revenue it needed. The Act under which it was proposed to erect the toll bar, ho was sure, was never intended for the purpose to. which the Green Island Council intended to put it. It was intended to be used for raising revenue for tho upkeep of ferries and bridges; and tho toll -bars woro to ba erected by counties and not boroughs. He thought they would agree that the main roads of the dominion should be kept open and free to erveryone. He hoped the council would see its way to help to keep the main roads open. Every man in this country helped to pay for tho upkeep of roads which were subsidised, and he trusted that the council would seriously reconsider the matter, and not interfere with the traffic on the Main South road. Mr Ohisholm (chairman of the Outram Town Board) pointed out that most of tho foodstuffs imported into his district camo by road, and if tho toll were levied it would moan that tho residents there would be penalised. Mr Russell (chairman of the Bruce County Council) stated that, according to his reading of the Act, if the toll-bar was erected the ratepayers of Green Island would have to pay as -well as outsiders, if they _ went through. This was specified most distinctly. They oould not make fish of one and flesh of another. He thought that if the Green Island Council enforced a speed limit their roads would not suffer ae the result of motor traffic. This had ibeen tried with good results both in the Bruce and Glut ha ■ Counties. The imposing of a toll was a backward move to the old days -when our grandfathers erected tolls. His council desired him to strongly oppose the proposal and to protest against it. Mr Barber (Christchurch Meat Company) expressed grave doubts as to whether the council had power to erect the toll, but whether or not, he pointed out what a burden it would be to his company. It had been said that they would not be affected, as most of tho stock came by rail. This, however, was not tho case. During last season 15,000 sheep, to say nothing of cattle, had comc by the road. If the toll were erected the charge for each sheep would be Id per head, which, on the total he had mentioned, would mean an additional levy of £65 on the £95 general rates and £200 for water paid by his company. They_ did not think they should be tether penalised. Mr. Todd (Saleyards. Company) said that if the proposal were adopted it would affect the many clients of his company, and the company would naturallv suffer, and possibly they might have to think of a chango of residence, as it were. The Saleyards Company had been an advantage to tho Green Island district. 1 He would like to see the council's revenue derived by somo other means than by the imposition of the ancient turnpike system. Mr Peter Miller (the president of the Dunedin Jockey Club) expressed the opinion that if the council went on with its proposal it would appear ridiculous in the eyes of the public. He hoped they would be able to devise other means of getting revenue than that proposed. . Mr W. Christie (Taieri A. and P. Society) said the toll-gates were 54 years past their time, and it was time some more rational and equitable means of raising the revenue required for the upkeep of main roads was adopted. m • • Mr W. Blackio (representing the Taieri farmers) said that a toll would be a. great hardship upon people brinsring cattle to and from tho saleyards. Ho did not know how they would be able to tell whether the same cattle, were l>eing taken back from the sale as wero taken to it. The Mnvor; We will take your word for it, Mr BlackioMr Bi'H K Maybe I would not be tellintr.—(Laughter.) Continuing, Mr Blackie said that, if it was found to bo too severe, they might have to consider tho question of building saleyards nt tho Taieri. He predicted that, if the toll bar was erected, it would be shifted, as there was. no bridge over the stream; it was merely a stone culvert. It had been reported that the council had been offered a largo sum of money for t.ho toll gate, and ho wanted to know if this was so. Tho Mavor said there were all manner of rumours in circulation, but he assured them that there had been no such offer made. Mr G. H. Trott (Otago Motor Association) said that his object in being < present was to show the coiincH wh?re it might raise the revenue it required. His association had previously placed before Parliament a proposal to tax all motor tyres which came into the dominion 10 per oent.. and the i-e-vonue thus derived should be spent equally on the main roads in tho country. Th" reason whv this sup-eestion had not been gone on with was that tho Government had been too much taken up with the war. He bel Wed it to b" the fairest wav out of tho difficulty.—(Applause.) Tho Mayor, in replying to tho deputation, eaid that tho setatement made by Mr Free-

' v ,-;w| man that the Green Island Conscfl hag undertaken not to erect & toll was hardly correct. Thero had never boon any sow undertaking by the council. The Main South road cost them 13a in. every pound to keep up. _ : Mr Quelch: Does that inehldo the Sootpaths? 4 The Mayor: Yes, but they ore for tire benefit of the general public. Continuing, he said that the council had to try ana do something for the other streets in tho borough. They spent all their rates, and had nothing' over. Mr Freeman asked if, in tho event of thai toll being erected, any of the money ;.so raised would be spent on the footpaths? The Mayor replied that he Had been asked the same question by a gentleman from Dunedin, and he had replied: "This ur your trouble and our pleasure." The deputation them withdrew. Tho town clerk produced a return showing that during Monday and Tuesday _16 milk carts, 97 motor cars, 45 motor cycles, 34 bicycles,,96 carts, 43 horsemen, 60 trapes 256. shoep, and 352 cattle passed through the borough between the hoars of 6 a.tit,, and 6 p.m. After a discussion, Cr Geddtss moved, anq Cr Mitchell seconded, that the deputation be informed that the council had decided to go on with tho toll.—This motion wa§ carried unanimously. ,y