COUNTY AND CARRIERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 163, 3 October 1941, Page 4

COUNTY AND CARRIERS

Sir,—ln your issue of. 29th inst* you have given publicity "to an attack made by Councillor McCready on the carriers who are at present metalling farmers' roads in the Waimana and Nukuhou districts. la face of the facts the attack is incorrect and grossly unfair. May I put the case for the Transport operators, who have given up mere remunerative work in order to fulfil their contract with the County Council, before your readers. When the qaiVstion of metalling farmers' first mooted, the County Council, Waimana and Rangitaiki Dairy Factory representatives received a deputation of P.W.D. and local body operators who wished to do the work. At this conference the chairman explained the extra expense thrown on to the farmer due to the change over to cheese, and the outcome was that the operators concerned offered to do the work at Public Works rates which were drawn up five years flgo.

Our offer was, accepted, and ten or eleven tip trucks, were offered for Immediate use. Owing to floods and other adverse circumstances the job did not start till a month later. In the meantime some operators had started work carting privately, rock for farmers,' roads in the Paroa and Taneatua districts. When the work started at Waimana it was not possible for some of the operators to drop their other jobs. cold. Nevertheless we have had at all times enough trucks to keep the County sliovel working at full capacity. We finished the job to-day and during the month spread over five thousand of metal, going over impossible rd|Ws at times. Our agreement wi|li the Council stipulates that w#* should not have to cart over roads Oir bridges that were not in reasonable condition. Regardless of this every yard of metal has been carted and i>laced j.ust where the farmer wanted it. I have fully investigated the position at Waimana and have been assured that

the farmers are thoroughly satisfied, and delighted at having their roads metalled at such a reasonable cost. Gould I* in fairness to the people concerned refer Councillor MicCready aifd yourself Mr Editor to the chairman of the Waimana Dairy Coy. and to the Councillor for Waimana. Mr R. Wardlaw. Also Mr Editor, your editorial regarding this matter, published on October 1. offends* Could I ask you to gather information in future from people who are conversant with their subject and have a sense of British justice. Sorry to tread on your toes, but I am just reciprocating.

Yours etc.,

W. H. SEMMENS.

(With reference to the above we welcome the position from the carriers point of view, which no doubt will help to clear the air. Our editorial comments were based on what was uttered and accepted as a fact at the open meeting of the Whakatane County - Council. We can assure our correspondent that there is no need for an apology if he • like ourselves is not afraid of an honest expression of opinion. Ed.)