POST OFFICE, ROADS, AND CONVEYANCE. 605 



a much better situation in regard to obtaining material, than the lat- 

 ter ; and are not burthened "with any thing like a proportionate 

 amount of debt. 



" Having thus adverted merely to the present imperfect state and 

 operation of the law, which appears to be generally admitted, I will 

 proceed to submit a proposition for improving it. 



" The greatest, most radical, and difficult question with which the 

 legislature has to deal, is that of Consolidation ; riot as to whether or 

 not consolidation is desirable (for I think that is admitted on all 

 hands) ; but as to the degree to which such consolidation ought to be 

 carried. This question is beset with difficulties, and demands con- 

 sideration, whether such consolidation shall take place partially (I 

 mean of particular trusts or other roads) or altogether ? I beg to 

 submit, as my opinion, that the only way to legislate on the subject 

 of roads, which will tend to produce permanent and increasing im- 

 provement to the whole of the roads in the country, would be to an- 

 nihilate all the present Turnpike Acts, both general and special, as 

 well as the several Highway Acts, and consolidate, not one trust or 

 set of trusts, or this or that parish road, but the whole of the PUBLIC 

 ROADS in the country, of whatever kind they may be, as well turnpike 

 as parish roads, and place the management in the hands of the most 

 opulent and intelligent gentlemen of the country, and a general board 

 of control and advice in the metropolis ; and thus create an efficient 

 power too independent to allow the funds to be squandered in paying 

 high prices for materials in making alterations which are not re- 

 quired by public convenience or to allow one part of the country to 

 be exempted from tolls at the expense of another. 



It is true that the mutations which have taken place in the state of 

 civilization in this country, have induced laws which distinguish the 

 roads into turnpike and parish roads ; but I contend that when the 

 former were first made, it was only a step in that radical change 

 which is now required. There is, in fact, little but an arbitrary dis- 

 tinction between the true nature of turnpike and parish roads : their 

 essential property, that of being public highways, remains common 

 to both, and they demand equally the protection of the government of 

 this civilized country ; and particularly if it should be evident that 

 funds may be easily obtained for their support, without producing 

 an additional tax on the country, which I have before contended may 

 be easily accomplished." 



With respect to raising the funds, Mr. Porter proceeds to propose 

 that " the present debts upon turnpike roads be transferred from all 

 the different trusts to the government, who should give transferable 

 securities for the same at 4 per cent., which I think would be pre- 

 ferred by the creditors ; and more especially if made transferable 

 without expense. After this has been accomplished, there would re- 

 main this essential duty for the performance of government, viz. To 

 provide a new fund equal to the reparation of all roads in the kingdom, 

 and to the payment of the interest of the present debts Such fund may 

 be provided by tolls, to be taken on the roads, or partly by a toll 

 and partly by a tax, or altogether by a toll ; the latter method I re- 

 commend. I would provide such fund in the following manner. 



