The Sun.
London, England, 1823-04-30 00:00:00

GENERAL TURNPIKE ACT MEETING.

Yesterday a highly respectable Meeting of
Gentlemen interested in the payment of the additional toll upon
waggons and other carriages conveying 'more than certain
weights, took place at the George and Vulture Tavern, Corn-
hill, for the purpose of taking into consideration certain clauses
in an Act of the last Session of Parliament; " To amend the
geenal laws now In being for regulating. Turnpike Roads in
Egland."
Mr. Homo* being called to the Chair,
Mr. GimoonY rose to address the meeting.. The weighing
machine was first introduced in the 13th year of Geo. 111.,
after it had been in use for about 20 years (1795), and the ob-
jections -which were then urged were equally applicable at
present, and he would therefore proceed to read, souse of the
remarks of an able writer upon the subject; it appeared that
in the flour trade a load of 15 sacks would weigh 37 cwt. the
waggon, 28 cwt., being more than 100 per cent. advance of
toll on the carriage of goods; the same proportion of expence
was calculated upon sugar, lime, and a variety of other
merchandise; the expence upon beer and bricks 50 per cent.;
that upon coal 35 per cent., and . upon wine 25 per cent.—
Since the year 1773, about 1(1 acts' had been passed' to amend
the original law, and in 1811, Mr.'Sinclear Introduced a bill
into Parliament, which was thought to bear hard Upon 'the
public at large, and was accordingly opposed with success by
three gentlemen present; in the last session of Parliament,
Mr. Frankland Lewis brought in the bill now complained of.
For, although by this bill, a greater weight 'was allowed to be
carried than had 'hitherto been the case, it took away front the
Trustees of roads, the power of accepting compositions, and
the whole toll was necessarily exacted; it could not be that the
greater toll was necessary for the improvement. of the roads,
for it was within the recollection of most present that a short
time since the Whitechapel or Mile:end-road was one of the
worst entrances into the metropelis—whereas, without the exac-
tion of the additional toll by the weighing machines, it Is evi-
dently now oire of the best roads in the country.
A long discussion then ensued upon the question; whether
the prayer of the meeting should extend to the total extinction
of the weighing machines, or only to the obtaining a right of
carriage for an additional weight.
Mr. GREGG/UV thought the prejudice less general than was
supposed; the Trustees of the Surrey and Sussex roads, for
instance, were understood to be diametrically opposed to the
principle of the machines, and their line of road was very
extensive
Mr. RIIODES thought the meeting had been called, at rather
too short ri notice; the motive was good, but he did not think
the urgency of the question would preclude a further - notice of
three or four days. Ile therefore moved that Mr. Gregory he
instructed to give publicity to a future meeting to be called on
Monday next, the sth day Of May, at the'George and Vulture
Tavern ; and to take the necessary measures for procuring as
full an attendance of those interested as possible.
This motion having been carried unanimously, the hour of
three o'clock was fixed upon as the most convenient for the
Coal and Corn Trades.
• Mr. RHODES took the opportunity of observing, that he had
seen Mr. M'Adam upon the subject, whose opinion was de-
cidedly against the principle of die weighing machines; and
he thought upon that Gentleman's stating his opinion to the
Committee, upon Mr. Lewis's Bill, the object of the Meeting
would be fully accomplished. .
The Meeting then adjourned to the day appointed for the
next General Meeting.