THE PORTOBELLO TOLL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2252, 29 April 1897, Page 30

THE PORTOBELLO TOLL.

About 30 perfons attended a meeting of cyclists in the Town Hall on Tuesday night "to try and devise ways lor the removal of the toll on the Portobello road." Mr F. R. Ohapmau was voted to the chair.

Apologies were riceivd for the absence of Dr Coiquhoun, Messrs Jamps Allen, M.H.R., E. G. Allen, M H.K., J. N. Brown, S. Mjera, J. R Thornton, and F. Culvert.

The Chaibman eaid the questions which the meeting would have under dincussion were the various a».pectß of the main question as to what could be dons with reference to the' toll on the Peninsula lower road in the interests of cyclists. The subject was not altogether one that presented only one aspect. It had to be considered from the point of view of the cyclists, and also from the point of view of thoße who made other uses' of the road. The peculiar position of the Road Board in the matter was that for some years it had maintained a prohibitive tax on cycles, and was apparently using it? power to stop cycling. The question as to whether that was witlftin the power of the R>ad Board might be an open question, and it might possibly be contested at some time or obber. It "seemed to him that the best action that could be taken should be one of an entirely conciliatory character. The members of the hoard. v\ ere presumably acting in what they considered the beat interests of the public. He had paised down the road recently, and it peemed to him that decidedly at certain part? the road would require to be protected for vehicles, and it was a remarkable thing that on Saturday last there was very little traffic on the road. It seemed to him that if the toll were reduced to a reasonable figure — say, Is or6d, — the board would get a fund that would very materially aid it in protecting the rosd so that cyclists could pass along the sea wall.

Mr Mahhyatt, as a resident of the Peninsula and ex-member of the Portobsllo Road Board, said the toll had been a thorn in h>s side for years, as he had h*d to pay the tax every day. There were a great number of ratepayers who, having to pay the toll when they went (o Dunediu, thought it an unnecessary tax and an unjust tax, as it did not fall on all alike. The principal parties who were instrumental in keeping the toll lived at the olher end of tho district, and had the choice of two roads — the upper, on which there was no toll, and the lower, on which there was a toll, — and his experience was that the bulk of the traffic went by the top road. At the present time there were very few horses, if any, on the Peninsula that hid not come into contact; with bicycles on the road or in the streets of Danedin. It was almost safe to say that with ordinary care no accident would ocour to the settlers' horses ; but there wss no doubt that, seeing the dangerous character of the road, a certain amount of caution was necessary. Ib was of no use approaching the Road Board, for the members of it were determined that the toll bar should remain on the road, and he would suggest that a petition should be addressed to the Government by the cyclists of Dunedin, ratepayers of the Peninsula, and influential local business men, backed up by members of Parliament.

Dr Batchelor, speaking nob only as a cylist, but as one who had driven traps on the Portobello road tor nearly 20 yearn, said at present c; cling on the road was excessively dangerous. Under certain conditions the road might be safe, bnt those conditions did not txist, and he thought tba 1 ; before cyclists asked permission from any public body to ride on a daugerouß road they should show some interest in regulating the traffic on a safe road. He strongly condemned the recklesmets shown by some cyclists, aud moved—" That the cycling bodies approach the City Council with the view of suggesting a stricter enforcement of the regulation of traffic in oji 1 streets for the givater safety of vehicles and cycles."

The CiiAiRMAK ruled that the motion was not in order at thai stage, but as the discussion went on the meeting might resolve itself into a more general meeting aud the motion might then bo in order.

Miss Statka.m said Dr Batchelor had voiced 1 her sentiments. Over and over sgaiu io the city she had been run on to the wrong gide of the road and she was constantly being nearly ■ run ever. She did not think there was a more dangerous road in New Zealand, until it wad protected in some way, than the ro*d dowa the bay, and j>he did not think the cyclists ihould ' have anything to do with it

Mr J. M 'Donald observed that some 50 or 60 cyclists had journeyed bickwarda and forwards on the road on a recent Sunday aud they

could say that no horse had Bhied at their machines.

Mr T. Mason moved — " That a cemmitteo bo appointed by this meeting for the pur-pose of taking steps to have tho toll on the P. orbobello road abolished."

Dr Brown opposed tho motion. Since he entered the room, he aaid, he saw that the cj cling clubs were being astutely made n«e of as catspaws by some deserving residents of the Peninsula. So far ac the settlers down there were concerned, he sympathised with them, and those at North Ea&t Harbour had certainly to pay more thau their share of the toll, but he pointed out that there was a danger on the road in tho respect that tho harbour side was unfenced. Moreover, the settlers present from the Peninsula did nob voice the opinion of &U the settlers, and be took it that the members of the road board had common sense, and that they had an object in putting a high toll on the road, that object being to render the road' safe for unwhesled traffic. He protested against the road in its present condition being used by cyclistß. more particularly after what Us Batchelor had said . as to the disregard by cjclists of the rule* of the road.

Dc Roberts, speakmg from a cyclist's point of view, said the grievance was not so much that there was a tall us taut the toll was a prohibitory one. He maintained that it was a matter of extreme rarity for a horse to take more notice of a cjcla thau of & telegraph poafe. They all recognised that on the untenced side of the Portobello road there was more than ordinary d auger, but he thought that when the danger of the road wag emphasised there was not much likelihood of 'the occurrence of an accident.

The motion on being put was carried by 23 votes to four.

Dr Batchelok's motion was, nfter some conversation, put; to the meeting acd carried without disHpnt.

The Chairman said what was now wanted in Dunedin was an association — that the clubs might have • proper representation. It was essential thfttihe clubs should be thoroughly in touch with the local bodies, aud that they should not only insist on their members observing the local laws but assist in the enforcement of tfapm. ' Tne customary compliment to the chair concluded the meeting.