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Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1920, Page 2

Last week the electors of the County injected a loan proposal having for its object The raising of funds to procure certain machinery for road making purposes. The plant proposed included a motor tipping lorry which was strongly recommended by Overseer Millner as the most effective means of overtaking the shortage of labor and the supply of horses and drays for road works. Today there is published the report of a trial of a motor tipping lorry in the JEltham Coulntjy, North Island. Tho North Island counties use machinery extensively for the road works, and one County Council has four tipping lorries included in its plant. At Eltham, it will be seen, very effective and highly satisfactory work was done, the demonstration the officials of other Councils present at the trial as to the effective character of the work performed. It is not clear how far the recent vote of the electors settles the matter. What has been vetoed so far is the proposal to borrow a sum of money to procure a plant, but if tho Council could finance the matter out of revenue, it seems but right that the question should be reopened. In any case the vote of., the electors was a very even one. Out of something like 500 votes, the polling was about half and half. It seems reasonable therefore if the councillors are still of opinion the plant, or portion of it, is necessary, ways and means should be gone into regarding terms for purchasing a suitable machine. It is impossible to follow the records of the meetings of the Council of late, without noticing. that works are being hold up for the want/of labor to carry them out. On top of that fact there are the new votes which will be available shortly. There will be some thousands of pounds to expend on various roads which are necessary for the general welfare of the district, and it will be carta inly the duty of the Council to devise the best and most economical means for the expenditure of the money in the shortest time possible. The question ,of a lorry might therefore he well reopened.