The Tollgate Question.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11647, 2 April 1901, Page 1

The Tollgate Question.

DISCU3SION BY -COUNTY

COUNCIL.

THE COUNCIL FINALLY RESIGNS.

At the Taranaki County Council meeting on Monday afternoon, Mr Lepper moved, That the resolution of March 25th, deciding to re-establish the Mountain Road Nroth tollgate at a site near Inglewood, be rescinded.

The Chairman said before the question was entered into he might state thfcjt Mr Roy had given an opinion as to whether Town Boards were in the same poj&fon as Boroughs. Mr Roy was of pinion that there was some doubt oh the question, and to avoid complications it was a question whether the gate be shifted to within a mile from Inglewood boundary. . ' Mr Lepper said the shiftiog of the gate, apart from the legal aspect of the case, would be a gross injustice. Mr McDonald seconded the motion. Since he had moved in the matter <ft shifting the gate he had changed has opinion. Mr McCullum : You are making % change of front.

Mr McDonald : No ratepayer has approached me siuce last meeting, and if any had they would not have influenced my opinions. After due consideration I have come to the conclusion that it would be a mistake to shift the gate nearer Inglewood. Mr Adlam said if the gate was not paying where it was now, then it should be abolished.

Mr Price said as far as the legal aspect went he did not agree with the Chairman or their solicitor. The County roads ran right through Inglewood, and therefore the Town Board there was different to a Borough. If the Council desired to place tollgates right in Inglewood they could do so legally. Mr Horrocks pointed out that there was sufficient population at Inglewood to create a Borough, and if the Council pat gates where they were vexatious and unjust then the people there would move to create Inglewood a Borough. Mr Adlam said that the gate Bhould be shifted to a site where the most revenue could be obtained, and that was nearer Inglewood according to figures quoted at the last meeting. Mr Tate : But if Inglewood became a Borough we would lose the lot of the revenue.

Mr Adlam : It would take some time to change into a Borough. The motion to rescind the resolution of previous meeting was then passed. Mr Adlam then moved to abolish this Mountain Road North gate.

Mr Phillips seconded the motion. Mr Horrocks said it would not be fair to abolish this gate without at the same time abolishing the gate on the Mountain Road South of Inglewood. They were now approaching the period when the abolition of the gates was within measurable distance, and he objected to this continual annoying of the ratepayeis. Mr Adlam : I object to your saying that I am annoying the ratepayers. V r Horrocks : You are. Mr Adlam : I'm not; I want to abolish this gate. Mr Horrocks : But you have a notice of motion to place a gate on the Junction Road between Inglewood boundary and the Windsor Road.

Mr Adlam : I Bay as long as we havo i gates let us have the gates where they will bring in most revenue. The Chairman said that if they started . to abolish this gate then the revenue from the gate south of Inglewood would depreciate. Another thiDg if they, abolished one gate then people in other parts of the County would clamour for abolition of gates in their parts. The Chairman asked the clerk to read resolutions bearing on these particular gates passed in 1899. Mr Price : I object to tho minutes two years ago being road to influence the subject. The Chairman : Sit down, please. Mr Price still objected. The Chairmaa : I am going to read these minutes whether you object or not, so you had better sit down. Mr Adlam's motion to abolish the gate was put aud carried. Ayes (5), Messrs Price, Adhm, Phillips, MoCullum, and Lepper; Noes (3), the Chairman, and Messrs Horrocks and Tate.

The Chairman : Touhave lost a matter of £15 a month to the Moa Biding. Mr Adlam moved, That a tollgate be established on the Junction Road at a

site between the Windsor Road and InglcTrood. This lapsed 4 "v«r wsnf of a seconder. Mr Adlam moved, Tha. 1 the Oiuato tollgat© be removed to a freah site to be approved of by a Committee of th*» Council. He gave his reisor.n. Mr Price said he would bo in favour of abolishing tttat gate too, and he moved an amendment to that elFect. Mr Adlum was agreeable to withdraw in favour of the araendme^^The Chairman: I mnst £oiift out emphatically that you aro simply playing ducks and drakes with the Comity's finance. He continued that he had shown at a previous meeting how the gates could be abolished in two years, and really in one year if the Parihaka Riding would agree to a bridge rat 9. Now some of the Councillors were simply playing the fool with the finances of the County, which had been taken into consideration in his scheme for tho abolition of the gates. The time had really arrived when the Councillors should resigu and go before the ratepayers to see who aro to blame in the matter. Mr Tate : Hear, hear. Mr McCullam : lam prepared to take up ?he position. Mr Horrocks said he endorsed all that Mr Okey had stated. There was a time when the Council was a happy family, but lately it seemed that members' hands were against each other. Instead of spending their time in doing the Council's business, now they spent their time in poking borax at each other. Mr McCullum : And you are one of those responsible. t \ r Horrocks, continuing, said that a representative body of ratepayers neTer petitioned or waited on the Council to abolish the tollgaUs. Those people who bad damaged and carried away gates simply acted like a lot of taproom larrikins. He advocated that the members should retire in a body. He also pointed out that the Council had incurred liabilities in their estimated revenue, which some member? now desired to reduce. / Mr Tate said he believed in carrying, out the business of the Council properljj' but things had got to such a pass in toeS Council that he really believed the time had arrived for them to resign and go before the ratepayers. The Chairman said it would be the better course, and it would act as a challenge to Mr Price and Mr Adlam, who had started to play up with tho Council's finance. Mr Price made a long statement, which did not bear directly on the question trader discussion. Mr Horrocks moved, That the Conncil resign in a body. Air Adlam wanted to know why the Chairman said such a motion was & challenge to him. The Chairman: Because you are acting against the interests of the Conncil. Mr Adlam : lam trying to stop evaders at- Omata. Aud as to your challenge, I am just as prepared to resign as yon are. . The Chairman pointed ont that Mr Adlam had knocked off £15 from the Moa revenue. Mr fiLepper said he was not prepared to resign. He believed in carrying ont the work of the Council in a proper manner. The Chairman asked what a fresh election weuld cost. The Clerk said it would cost about £50. Mr AfcCullum said Mr Horrocks was not correct in saying that representative -people had not desired the abolition of tolls. ( The statement' was quite contrary to thespiritof the meetings held down the coast. Mr Adlam said he did not wish to, abolish the Omata gate. The Chairman pointed out ..that Mr Adlam said he would withdraw hi* motion in favour of Mr Price's unenlment. Mr MoCullnm : Will you resign, Mr Chairman? The Chairman : I will resign and go to the ratepayers if Mr Adlam will do likewise. Mr McCullum : If you resign, Mr Chairman, and get re-elected I wijl send in my resignation as soon as yon are returned. ,*n THE COUNCIL BESIGJfy , The Chairman : Do yon intend to proceed with yonr resolution, Mr, Horrocks ? - Mr Horrocks: Yes. The Chairman: It will be just as well to be unanimous on the matter. Will anyone second the motion that we resign? Mr Phillips: I will. Let the ratepayers Kay who are in the right or wrong over this tollgate matter. The motion was put and carried without any dissentient. A motion was then passed that the Clerk carry on the business till tha next Council is elected. A WONDEBFUL CTJRE OP DIA&RH&x. A prominent "Virginia Editcv had almost given up, but was brought back to Perfect Health by Chamberlain s - Colic, Choler»,a,nd Diarrhoea Remedy. BEAD IHO EDITORIAL. From the Times, Hillstille, Va. I suffered with diarrhoea for a long time and thonght I was past being cured. I had spent much time and money and suffered so mnch misery that I had almost decided to give up all hopes of recovery and await the result;, but noticing the advertisement of Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera, and piarrhoea Bemedy and also some testimonials stating how some wonderful cures had been wrought by this remedy, I decided to try it. After taking a few doses I was entirely well of that trouble; and I wish to say further to my readers and fellow sufferers that I am a hale and hearty man to-day and feel as well as I ever did in my life.— O. B. Moore. For sale by Co-operative Store, New Plymouth.