Wanganui Herald. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1837

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6363, 8 November 1887, Page 2

Wanganui Herald. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1837

AN OUTRAGEOUS PROPOSAL.

The motion carried at the meeting of the Waitotara County Council yesterday, which was moved by Cr Kobertson, and seconded by Cr Ritchie, to place a toll gate on the Eiver Bank Road near the Upokongaro Ferry, is a startling and outrageous attempt to levy a crushing tax on a few settlers, who are obliged to come that way into town, pending the repairs of the bridges on the other side of the river. There is no necessity for such an extreme course being adopted, and we do not think the ratepayers of the Waitotara County Council district will countenance such harsh and uncalled for measures against their unfortunate fellow-settlers on the othu Bide of the river, who are incommoded quite enough as it ia, and should not be treated in the cavalier fashion advocated by the members of the Waitotar County Council. The action of the Wanganui County Council in not attending at once to the damaged bridges on the left bank of the river road, is most reprehensible, but it does not warrant the Waitotara County Council in putting up a toll gate near the ferry, which would injuriously affect the whole of the settlerß living above Upokongaro and in the Makirikiri district. For a moribund Council to pass such a resolution was most improper, as the matter is one on which the decision of the whole of the ratepayers should be taken in the elections now approaching, during the progress of which candidates will, no doubt, be asked by the electors to give a pledge to rescind the obnoxious and mischievous resolution. Country Bottlers are taxed quite heavily enough as it is. Tho dayß of toll gates have, or ought to have passed away, as they are great bars to progress, and have been abolished nearly everywhere in the civilised world.