QUESTION. (Hansard, 24 July 1857)

§ LORD RAVENSWORTH,

in rising to put a question to the President of the Council with respect to the toll-gates with in the six mile radius north of the Thames, said that they were a great public inconvenience. It was only thirty years since every approach to the metropolis was a turnpike road; but by the exertions of the Government of that day, and especially, he believed, by the energies of the noble Earl behind him (the Earl of Lonsdale), who was then Chief Commissioner of the Board of Works, many of the turnpikes were removed. He understood that all the principal metropolitan toll-gates were contracted for by a gentleman of the Hebrew persuasion of the appropriate name of Levy, who had for a certain sum provided the funds for maintaining the toll-gates and paying the wages of the toll-gate keepers. He was fully aware of the difficulty of putting an end to the levying of these tolls, but as the matter was much mooted out of doors, and the tolls were felt to be very burdensome, he hoped that Her Majesty's Government would make some attempt to relieve the public from them. He understood that a deputation had actually waited upon the noble Lord at the head of the Government to remonstrate in strong terms on the continuance of those tolls which had been left un-assailed by the noble Earl behind him. He begged, at the same time, to observe, that he was opposed to the abolition of the tolls by means of an additional rate to purchase the fee simple of them, because he found that the rates of the metropolitan districts were already exceedingly heavy, the ratepayers in the parish of Fulham for instance, having to pay rates to the extent of 9s. in the pound. He begged to ask whether Her Majesty's Government had considered the application made to the First Lord of the Treasury on the 20th of May last by a deputation from parties calling themselves the Toll Reform Committee, who prayed that Her Majesty's Government would introduce a measure for an early removal of the toll-gates within the six-mile radius north of the Thames, and now under the control of the Metropolis Road Commissioners, and whether the noble Earl the Lord President of the Council could give any assurance that so desirable a measure was in course of preparation?

§ EARL GRANVILLE

said, there could 336 be no doubt that it would be a very desirable thing to accomplish the object which the deputation had in view. The successful exertions of the noble Earl opposite (the Earl of Lonsdale) for several years to diminish the evil complained of, entitled him to the greatest credit. The difficulties, however, since that improvement had been effected had been increased rather than diminished. At the same time he must admit that the subject deserved attention, but it was now too late in the Session to propose any measure respecting it. His right hon. Friend the Home Secretary would take it into his consideration during the recess, and put himself in communication with the Metropolis Road Commissioners with the view of taking, if possible, some steps with regard to it.