Local Bodies' Conference.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 128, 28 November 1896, Page 2

Local Bodies' Conference.

A Conference of local bodies was held * n tbe Manchester Road Board office,, , Feilding, yesterday afternoon for the purpose of discussing the question* r bf - sreventing damage to roads by beayjf ;raffic by framing bye laws giving mtbority to tax wagons or drays cart- '^V ng over such roads The Conference' was held at the suggestion of tbe Manshester Road Board. Tbe local bodies represented were — Manchester Road Board, Messrs G. Wheeler and W. G. • Pearce ; Eiwitea County Conncil, Messrs W. F. Jacob (chairman) and J. J. Willianson ; Manawatu County Conncil, Mr V. C. Ransom (chairman) ; Pohangina County Council, Mr K. W. Browne Mr Jacob was voted to tbe chair on the motion of Mr Pearce, seconded by Mr Wheeler, and he explained the object of the meeting. Mr Wheeler said that the local body he represented had bad a bitter experience with reference to heavy timber wagons, and a few months ago Mr Pearce brought forward a motion to tax these wagons, but it was deferred with a view to adjusting matters with tbe adjoining local bodies, and that was the reason they had been called together. Mr Ransom said that this question bad been a difficulty with them, and they, also, were about to frame byelaws to regulate traffic on roads within their .County when this Conlereuce was called. In nine cases out of ten where counties tried to enforce their bye-laws tbe counties lost. He referred to tbe hardship to settlers in having their roads cut np by heavy traffic and thought it desirable if they could do so to stop such traffic altogether. Mr Brown said the Pohangina Connty was much in tbe same position as tbe other local bodies. Their roads were only light and spring cart roads which could not stand heavy traffic and very serious damage was done to them by the timber traffic. The local body be represented was in favor of co operating with a view to preventing tbe excessive cost to settlers. Some millers were willing to pay a reasonable tax. Mr Pearce said his notion was to compel wagons to pay an annual license. What brought this np was that millers carted timber toFeildingby the AshurstBunnythorpe road to save the 2d or 3d per 100 feet as against tbe railway freight. It would now cost at least £150 to patch this road. Another mill sent timber by cart to Palmerston froniFeild • ing along tbe road beside tbe railway, cutting it up. The farmers bad to pay very much more in proportion for timber than what it was sold for in tbe towns and he noticed that the Sawmillers Conference passed a resolution that they would not sell any timber on tbe wharf for less than 6s per 100 feet and by this they would save £'10,000. Some millers were willing to pay something, bat tbe question was how were they to be charged, by the quantity of timber cut or tbe horse power of their plant. If x they could not pass a bye law to enable them to recover, then an Act of Parliament should be passed to pnt a direct tax on the timber. A firewood cart I was a different thing as it was local, while the timber was sent away. He did not think tbe settlers who carted wool should be further taxed as they had already paid for the roads and they were quite different to sawmillers. A tax of £25 a year wonld not come to more than one penny per 100 feet. ' Mr Williamson pointed out that the Feilding Borough Council already charged a tax on drays which took the settlers wool to the station and ha had to send his co Halcombe to avoid paying the tax. If this tax was continued it was only fair that they should tax the store carts going into tbe country which did just as much damage as the timber traffic. He thought the only fair means of taxing heavy traffic was by means of a toll. Mr Pearce thought tbe toll would be an expensive means of collecting the tax and that it would not work. Mr Brown thought they might pnt a tax of say £25 a year on timber waggons, to be collected say quarterly and paid into a central fund and have some system whereby this money could be divided amongst the local bodies interested in proportion as tbe roads were used by the waggons. Mr Ransom thought it would be a difficult thing to adjust the Bhare if they paid into a central fund. Mr Jacob said the Taranaki County had a wheel tax. Mr Brown thought they might tax all carts plying for hire and if the farmer did not ply for hire he would not be taxed. He suggested getting a solicitor of good Btanding to draw up bye-laws which would enable them to recover. Mr Wheeler thought they should point out to the Borough Conncil that if they would collect a license fee from country carts tbe Road Board would retaliate. After some desultory discussion it was resolved, on the motion ef Mr Wheeler, seconded by Mr Williamson, That a committee, consisting of Messrs Ransom, Pearce, and Jacob, bo appointed to draw up bye-laws on th« following subjects, and report to a future meeting of tbe Conference : — (1) One uniform bye-law regulating width of tyres and number of horses, to be adopted by tbe local bodies interested. (2) To impose license fees on all vehicles plying for hire within the districts interested. (3) To provide for the annual or other payment of any reasonable sum by any/ person concerned in heavy traffic by way* of compeusation for any damage likely to> occur to any road, culvert, or bridge (section 130, sub-section 2, clause E Public Works Act, 1894). (4) Providing that heavy traffic of all or any kinds shall cease during the whole or any part of the months of May, June, July, August, and September. (5) Regulating the use of bullocks as traction animals. (6) Regulating the weight and pace of any traction engine and machinery which shall be permitted to any bridge or culvert, and tbe times > when such shall be allowed to cross. (7) Regulating traffic of bicycles on the roads. (8) Clause 130, subsection 2, generally Public Works Act, 1894. Tbe meeting then adjourned to a date to be arranged.