COUNTY BULLDOZER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 31, 8 December 1944, Page 5

COUNTY BULLDOZER

-USE BY PRIVATE persons

'QUESTION OF PRIORITY

The fact that upon occasions when it was in certain districts t the County Council's bulldozer had ? with the consent of the * Council been placed at the disposal of ratepayers who required its services was criticised by Cr McGougan at the November meeting. Cr McGougan contended that although he. had no real fault to find with the hiring out of the bulldozer for private work when it was available it was high time the Council ? took steps to ensure that such use would not develop into a monopoly to the detriment of bona fide County work. He referred to the job which had recently been completed at Waimana and which had extended over a considerable period. At the roads were badly in need of metal and he had been loath to ask .for it- t but when he saw the nature, of the Waimana job he considered it time that the Works- Committee should be consulted by way of giv-i sing authority. The chairman pointed out that when the machine was lirst purchased it was understood that should any of the ratepayers require, it, at .a time when it was in their and could be it would be made available. There was no set system about hiring it out. Cr Burt: What about-our road -grants? We arc. well behind Avith the metalling and we need to get ■on with the job. Cr Leslie: 1 think that the present system throws too much responsibility on the engineer. He knows when requests are made that to refuse them would make him unpopular. The Engineer: I am glad you all agree on that point but I must te.ll .you now that all private work must cease from now on. We must get on with the metalling. Cr McGougan said he meant nothing personal but he did consider that for one or two to be. able to ■empower the bulldozer to be taken off the roads, for three solid weeks such as had been done at "was wrong. He considered the only authority should, be from the Works ■Committee. Crs Luxton and Cawte, supported him. The chairman said he was sorry the matter had cropped up in its present form and he hoped the •Council was not blaming him for the Waimana job. He personally liked to see the, machine doing good work'anywhere in the County where it was possible to use. it. He. agreed, .however, that all major jobs should Joe given priority. The. Council decided that in iuture the machine could not be hiieil •out to private individuals without •the considered authority ol the. Works Committee.