WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1927, Page 4

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

TiIEA SUPER'S SUPPLEAIENTARY

REPORT. Sir and Gentlemen—As desired by Cr Chinn, Overseer Alillner supplies the operating costs of the lorries, crusher and roller, and the particulars follow.

In connection with the running cost of the lorries, it is interesting fo note that for the six months, October to .March, the motor lorries earned from Government grant expenditure in cash for hire, £3,33 12s (id, inclusive of the motor drivers’ wages which were paid out of the grants also. The £353 12s Gd went direct to the credit of the County Fund Account. In regard to Okarito road and the representations to be made to the Hon Minister of Public Works on the occasion of his approaching visit, the expenditure hv the Council for the past mx months on the road in question was £G|. 12s (Id. The annual general rate collectable from Okarito is about £lO. There is one hotel license yielding £2-3 annually also. The points emphasised in the .1 rcasnrer’R Annual Report already supplied Councillors, are having' the nerv attention. The Overseer is t-ur-lailing casual labour generally, and more use is being made of the roadmen in regard to small works authorised by the Council. Pipe making is dicing continued at present on the usual lines, supplies of pipes being required for contracts now in hand and for the Council's requirements at various points. The matter of cheaper production by co-operating with the Hokitika Borough Council might he considered. Sand and graved have to he conveyed to Kanieri. while this material is very lmn.lv in town. PeM.aps by arrangement with the Borough Council joint action could he taken, and as the Council has a quantity of moulds and other plant a quid .pro quo could he offered for the use of the town shed and conveniences.

Regarding heavy traffic, throe mills have paid the special tax and one has promised to pay. Of those operating Higgins and Coy still stand out. In view of the difficulty, regarding weights for heavy traffic, particularly with the smaller trucks in the region of the minimum, a request might he made L> have all vehicles commercially used taxed for heavy traffic, the present minimum fee to he charged for all such commercial vehicles of two tons _and under, including cars used for passenger traffic. This proposal was favourably received by all representatives at the recent meeting oi the No 12 Highways District.

■|)v arrangement., the Grey County Clerk nail myself are to confer in .respect to royalty payments from the Forestry Department. There appears to he a drop in revenue from mining reserves from which the Councils are entitled to the whole ol the royalty, not the fifth, and this nnd other aspects of the levetiue returns are to he looked into a* soon as Air Keating can arrange to come down. The County overdraft at ,'llsi. March was £31.10. At’ present it is .£3061. This i* not, uus'atisl'actory. At this period la.-t year the debit was £2910. The present, period, immediately before striking the annual rate, is the time when revenue is least elastic.

OVERSEER’S SPECIAL REPORT. Sir I have the honor to report upon the cost of operating the County Motor Trucks. Rond Roller. Stone Crusher and Road Grader. .MOTOR TRUCKS.

The cost of operating each motor (,uck which are identical in design and tonnage may vary slightly according to the nature of the work engaged in. weather conditions, or the class of toad being hauled over. For instance*, the consumption of benzine is ]e.-s over the same distance on Lower Kol;iil.iiin 1! >;td than on Lake. Kanieri Road, accounted for principally by the hilly nature of Lake Kanieri road. Under ordinary mad repairing conditions the records taken over a period of three months, show that a tail' aver-

age allowance for each machine would he 111 gallons of bulk petrol per month. At various times flu* consumption univ he fionl 10 to 14 gallons less, or may increase up to 150 gallons per month, wilii an allowance of 3J gallons of lubricating and gear case oil monthly, and hall a gallon ol oil for the cylinder hoist. At present prices of petrol the cost exclusive of drivers would he for each machine: Petrol ... l l lgal. at Is Gd £lO 10 0 Oil 4gal. at Gs fid 1 0 0

£l2 2 0 Added to this the diivers’ wages, monthly average 22 0 0 £3-1 2 0

The cost, given is for operating the lorries, carting crushed metal from the bin to Kokatahi, Lake Kanieri or any other road within a radius of 1 miles. No labor is required to load the crushed metal, hut three men are necessary with the driver who assists in filling each lorry, when carting gravel for road repairs or for blinding metal. Before roll in, the metal or gravel requires sorting or placing on the road, as it cannot be spread uniformly by the lorry unless very h’’.'* nnd without stoe. A roadman is necessary road always to attend to the spreading, the driver of the machine attends to the hoist which raises the* hod.v in a position for tipping the material. When this is in position the catch of the control is released, allowing the door t-i open the necessary width to allow the gravel or metal to run on the road. Immediately the control is released, the lorry must move forward to distribute the gravel along the road, the door cannot lie opened more than two or three inches otherwise the material will he dumped in heaps. If there is a quantity of stone in the gravel which cannot he avoided, a iii:m is required at the tail oi the machine keeping the small stone from choking the delivery. If this is not attended to, there will he hare patches left on the road between small chimps. Tn other words the material will not spread uniformly from the lorry unless with assistance.

STONE CRUSHER. The stone crusher requires three workmen to fill the rough stone bin before crushing commences. This will under ordinary circumstances occupy eight liours. On the second day four men are required, one to drive the engine and assist to feed the crusher, one feeding stone, and two men running stone to tiie supply bin. The cost- of obtaining and crushing 40 cubic yards of metal is as follows:

£ s <1 Kerosene for engine. 1J tins 10 0 Benzine for stinting, igal. J- 0 Driver's wages. 8 liours lo 0 J.iib iiircr.s. wages (3 men), 8 limn s fill in;; bin - ■> 0 (1 reuse anil oil ' 1 .ohourers’ wages (■! men) 8 hours feeding and running stone to bin " -) Explosives 0 Total cost of crushing 10 cubic yards of stone 0 10 0 KOAII ROLLER. The cost, of operating the fen ton roller, eight hours per day, on ordinary road rolling amounts to the following : £ s d Kerosene. It eases at Ids (id 1 0 0 Benzine. \ gal. for starting, 8s 1 0 OH. i gal. ill 7s 0d 3 0 Driver's wages 10 0 £2 1 3 ['or ext ra work. 1 i in kerosene extra - » £2 8 0 II! 011\Y AV K COX VKllif XC F RETORT.

ltv COUXCII. KEPI? ES EXT ATI YE. 1 hug to report attending the Collie re m ■ at Christchurch on the 18th. i„,t. relative to -Main Highways mattors. All County Councils but two in the youth Island were represented, and with the attendance of the motor representatives and the members of the Highways Hoard, over one hundred were present. The meeting was presided over by Mr Knrkert. Chairman of the Main Highways Board, who explained the ohiert cf the meeting, namely to dismiss with the motor representatives certain complaints which had been voiced. Some eloquent representatives in the motor interests held forth at considerable length, the harden ‘I which was a desire to secure additional iepivs.mtn!inn on the Highways Hoard, ns well as rc-iireseiitnUoil on the eighteen Highways Councils throughout: the' Dominion. Remits were also swhmilted in respect to greater financial assistance from the Board towards urban and suburban roads and generally in regard to main highway expenditure. An interesting statement was made by the Chairman relative to the .Highway Board’s finance. One special point was that the Government this vear was not able to borrow tor construction w ill, and asked the Hoard to use some of its reserves until the Government could ■ again borrow, promising to repay the amount. A second siiecnd point uns Hint- at Clio picsont rate of subsidy for maintenance, namely £1 His Od for £l. tbo present reserve would disappear within three years. It was at this stage, the County representatives were, asked to confer separately and present any remits for the Highways Hoard. They .met immediately under the' able Chairmanship of Mr .full. The two most important motions adopted wore those moved by Tilnngabiia and AAestland, liameb, . (1) ]n relation to providing more money for main highways by the introduction of a petrol fax; and (2) greater consideration by tbo Highways Hoard for feeder roads of main highways and railways. Both mutters had very favourable representation, l oth by the County representatives and ultimately by Hie full meeting. The two points of extra representation for motorists on Board and Councils were referred to County Councils for decision—the feeling generally, hc-

imr against another motor representative oil the Board, but no objection to a motor representative on each Council. The general effect of the Conference will be lor good. The round table talk afforded an opportunity o* gleaning much general information, and at least the motorist- representatives were more satisfied. The desire for a second Board for the Sooth Island has been dropped. It would appear that generally the Board has been sympathetic with the local bodies, and many expressions of personal thanks were tendered for assistance given. The Board members on their part expressed every readiness to assist, and are moving about the country as much as possible to see for themselves local needs. In this connection, Mr McKenzie. assistant Chairman, is to visit this district as soon' as be can do so conveniently. An intereting phase of the discussion was a reference to the economic cost of road construction. A Canterbury engineer stated gravelled roads were the cheapest to build and maintain where the car traffic did not exceed 200 per day. Mr Furkert stated liis enquiries in the United States went to show that where the traffic did not exceed 1000 or 1200 ears per day. gravelled roads were still the cheapest proposition. It would thus appear that there is not any need for some, time to consider the matter of eo«*| j strueting costly roads in WestlSlwl.fi even were the money readily avail- i

At tbo Highways Council meeting at Greymouth previous to proceeding to Christchurch, the Highways estimates were gone through with Mr AYntkinsou. lie has listed all our requests excepting Vine Creek bridge, and a bridge on. the Detour road at Matninui. Dry Cteek is to be gono oil with ns soon as the bridge foreman is available. Potter’s Creek bridge,- be considers tbo next most important. The money is not immediately available for reconstructing AYniinoa creek bridge at Stafford, but il is being maintained meantime. The material is now to hand for Camerons and Granite creek bridges and they will be in band immediately. The 'CouneiTs i oiili ibution to the maintenance of mai l highways remains at £lO per mil - for the 152 miles of road from Ternmakau tu AYaibo river. The average expenditure on the roll Is is £C>3 per mile. The construction., of votes in tl>e Xo. 12 District are alfeeted this year by an appropriation of £IO,OOO proposed for the reconstruction of the Ahaura river bridge in the Grey County. considered a. very urgent .matter. Tilts Kok’atn lii-Koi tei line i road bus been recommended for inclusion as a main highway, and if accepted will probably ensure the Council receiving Cl 10s for £ on the mainteniiiice cost.