Evening Post 13 June 1872
The question of the legality of passengers who travel by mail coaches paying the toll of twopence each, levied on them by the Toll Gate Act Amendment Act, passed in the last session of the Provincial Council, was decided yesterday in the Resident Magistrate”s Court, Lower Hutt. Thomas Walker, of Greytown, and Robert Buckridge, lighthouse keeper, passengers by the Wairarapa coach, were charged by the collector of tolls on the Hutt bridge for refusing to pay the toll (the driver of the coach having refused, to pay the toll on the vehicle, the passengers become liable to the toll of twopence each). They were fined one shilling and costs.

Wellington Independent 10 January 1873
The Toll Gate Act passed by the Provincial Council, and recently come into operation, is creating some dissatisfaction amongst the public at large and the Hutt settlers, the latter especially, but chiefly on account of the inconvenient nature of the tax. Without discussing the abstract merits of such a mode of raising a revenue, no one will doubt the absurdity and inconvenience of the way in which it is effected. Nothing certainly could be devised that would be productive of more awkwardness and irritation than demanding two-pence toll from every passenger in a vehicle, mail carts included, and it is not surprising that people should ridicule the system. A still further inconvenience has been superinduced by the same piece of legislation. For the last three years the people of the Hutt and Taita have been accustomed to receive their letters and papers every morning and afternoon, the Government having been used to run two mails a day. As a sort of equivalent for the service the contractors were allowed to run their coaches free of tollage. Now, however, under the new state of things, a direct subsidy is asked for, and the Government has reduced the mail service to once a day. Considering the length of time which the country people living along the Hutt line of road have enjoyed two mails a-day, it is but natural they should be desirous of seeing the old system continued. Perhaps the General Government, in considering the matter, may see their way to resume the old arrangements, especially as we understand the cost would be very small, not exceeding about two pounds per month.