HEAVY TRAFFIC

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1932, Page 8

HEAVY TRAFFIC

ON COASTAL ROAD. DEPUTATION TO GREY COUNTY

At the meetng of the Grey County Council on Thursday evening, the aetI ing chairman (Mr J. liyall) said there I. aas a deout tion from the coal carters from the nines on the Greymouth—- | vt'i-st. ort coastal road, waiting to ask that the road over which they cart, be worn toi ? to 6J tons. They had been using lonies larger than were allowed by regulation on the road, and had been held up by the InSjie cor. i'liey wis.ied to place their case before the Council. Councillors would >'e' all, lie said, that some time ago the coal owners from the locality inet the Council, and agreed to pay a royalty of 3d a ton on their coal. They then received a promise, verbal, notwritten, that if that royalty were paid the Council would overlook overloading on that section of the road. Since that promise was given, Messrs Eccles and Morrow, two of the carters, had increased the size of their lorries. Now the lorries had been weighed up, and it was concluded that prosecutions would follow. Messrs Eccles Morrow maintained that they received permission from the late 'Mr Slcss to„ increase the size of their lorries, but unfortunately Mr Sloss was nor there to s y whether he gave any such permission. At any rate they had received no permission from'the Council. Only two of the mines in the locality had not in their leases the clause relating to payment of the 3d royalty, those of Messrs Kells and party and McAulay and party. Those mine-own-orb had bigger lorries than they were allowed by the regulations, and should have obtained permission of the Council. Members of the Council might be in a better position to discuss the question if thev viewed the road. Cr. Blair: The ro: I does not concern us. It is just- a matter of the, min''- "’vners paying up.

It was decided that the deputation be heard.

The Chairman introduced, the deputation, consisting of Messrs N. Mouatt. R. Clarke,- Eccles and Morrow, Mr Mouatt said the whole question was the classification of that section of ihe Barrytewn road from the Seven Mile to the Ten Mile. It was ait present classified as a 44 ton road, and the carters cc si-.’ar d that the classifi. caton should he raised to tons. For eight yea"s ’wr'es hr cl carried loads up to eight tons over that particular road day‘after day. and.it was considered that,they might now be allowed k> zake as much •• ■ fit tons. The road had been well consolidated during the past four or five years with the heavier lorries running over it, and it. was contended that they would be less damage done to the road as a tons classification than.at a4s tons classification. The “weights and measures man” had been out there, a.nd after weighing, had found all the lorries overweight. As there were ten or twelve lorries valued at sums up to £1409, on the road at present, it would be a big thing for the coal carters if the lorries had to he put off. Cr Carter said tl.ere appeared to be only one way out of the difficulty, and that was to get the consent of the Main Highways Board to have the classification raised. It would not be wise for the County to do anything in the matter without consulting the Highways Board. The County might recommend that the classification he raised, but before; that were done there

were a few matters that would have to be arranged between the Council and the mine owners. He understood that only a part of the 3d levy had been paid, and that was a problem that would have to be tackled properly. Cr. Blair moved that the Council arrange a conference with the Highways authorities to discuss the matter, and that the Engineer make endeavours to have prosecutions held up for two weeks.

The motion was seconded by Cr. McDonnell and carried.