HEAVY TRAFFIC.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4589, 23 July 1923, Page 2

HEAVY TRAFFIC.

LOCAL BODIES CONFER. A conference convened by His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) to discuss matters pertaining to heavy traffic on roads was held in the Coronation Chambers, Paeroa, on Friday last. The following local bodies were represented; Waihi Borough: Messis W. M. Wallnutt (Mayor) and W. E. Busch; Te Aroha Borough: Messrs R. Coulter (Mayor), and G. Hedge ; Thames Borough: Messrs H. Eaddy and S. J. Hetherington; Paeroa Borough: Messrs W. Marshall (Mayor) and P. E. Brenan; Hauraki Plains County : Messrs J. C. Miller (chairman) and E. Walton; Ohinemuri County: Messrs A. R. Robinson (chairman) and W. F. Johnstone: Piako County: Mr N. Ray j Thames County : Messrs H. Lowe (chairman) and A. Alley.

On the motion of Mr Lowe, seconded by Mr Busch, Mr W. Marshall was elected chairman.

The Mayor (Mr Marshall) thanked the gathering for electing him chairman, and also for their attendance. The matters to be discussed were oi the utmost impprtance, not only t-> the districts, but nationally. He said that within three miles of Paeroa going towards the Plains carriers were required to travel through four counties. The borough’s nominal fee fpr heavy traffic licenses had been £2. The council had realised that some thing had to he done to bring in increased revenue to meet the cost of maintenance of the main roads. It was impossible for carriers to be asked to contribute £5O to £7O towards licenses fees. Mr Marshall then stated the object of the meeting. As a basis on which to work he moved the following premises, which were agreed to :—

"(1) The recognition of the fact that modern needs render it. necessary to endeavour to provide roads capable of carrying motor traffic. (2) That because the construction and maintenance of such roads in vo'.ve heavy expenditure,, it is necessary to regulate,, control, and restrict such traffic in accordance with the district’s ability to construct and maintain roads. (3) That it is desirable in this district to have uniformity of regulations in these matters.” -

Mr Busch said he thought the Mayor’s proposals were too weighty and lengthy. He thought that the conference should deal only with heavy cartage licenses, and that one centralisation scheme should be discussed.

The chairman said it was import ant that the conference should not confuse heavy traffic licenses with vehicles only plying for hire. Mr Lowe said that he thought it was absolutely necessary tp have uniformity in licenses, and that sufficient care and attention should be given in the care and maintenance of good roads. He thought the conference should discuss some means for an equitable basis for heavy traffic licenses. Paeroa was so centrally situated that it was most unfair to penalise carriers by heavy expense in taking out licenses to enable them to dp cartage with other counties.

Mr Miller thpught that the first clauses, as stated by the chairman, could be quite well left to the local bodies concerned, and the remaining clauses should be discussed by the conference.

The chairman said the first clause was only to recognize that some uniformity of regulations was necessary governing heavy traffic. The Cambridge and Auckland local bodies had already arranged for composite licenses. He did not think composite licenses could be applied to this district.

Mr Robinson was of the opinion that licenses should be distributed ou a mileage basis, Mr Busch . thought' that the local bodies should fix one uniform rate for heavy traffic licenses. Then an adjustment could be made ,and eacn local body would receive its share pro raita.

Mr Eaddy asked the chairman if he thought that composite licenses could be issued in conjunction with ordinary licenses. The chairman replied that he thought each local body should arrange that a carrier should take out a license for each county he travelled over.. Mr Lowe said that statistics had shown in the past that a very small proportion of traffic really belonged to the local body whose roads were being used. Mir Hetherington said that an alteration from the present rate of licenses would considerably ieduce the revenue at present collected. At the present time the Ohinemuri County Council/heavy traffic license was £25 a year, Hauraki Plains £2O, and Waihi Borough £2O. Mr Coulter was of the opinion that if the fees were doubled in the counties it would be applicable. A strict limit should be put on the weight of each vehicle. It was the heavy lorries that did the damage to the roads. The chairman said that a limit of seven tons over any four wheels was plenty heavy enough for the roads of a district. Mr Busch aaked if it was possible to make a charge for licenses according to the weight of a motor vehicle. .Mr Marshall said that from three tons upwards would come under the heavy traffic by-laws. He. thought that any vehicle over seven tons should be charged four times the amount of the license. Mr Eaddy said he thought that full consideration should be given to all commercial vehicles. Mr Hedge, asked if any information had been received from Cambridge as to the result of its conference. The chairman said that distribution was to be on a mileage basis, and a committee had been set up to deal with it and if an agreement was not reached the matter would be decided by a magistrate. The chairman then moved the following resolution:— "That the license fee for motor vehicles engaged in heavy traffic in

boroughs shall be £1 for each ton or part-of a ton of the weight and carrying capacity of the vehicle up to 7 tons; above 7 . tons, -including weight of vehicle, to be absolutely prohibited except by special permit, the applicant for such permit to provide indemnity against possible damage. If it is not possible to prohibit loads over 7 tons the fees for same to be £4 per ton. Thai the county charges be three times the above amount.”—Carried unanimously'.

Mr Eaddy said he did not agree with the resolution. He thought that power should be obtained by Order-in-Council tb rate all classes of cars. The commercial traffic should be protected.

Mr Lowe said that he was strongly in favour of \ the resolution. He thought that every class of business should carry its own liability. The resolution would not become a hardship to anyone if passed. A seven-ton trpek running over a road for a year caused tremendous damage. It was not fair that the public should carry the burden of the damage done to roads by a carrier. He owned a car himself, and would willingly contribute £lO towards the maintenance of modern roads. It was impossible to have good roads if there was insufficient revenue coming in. Mr Marshall said tnat the resolution was to assist vehicles to carry on in several counties.

Mr Hetherington did not think that the whole of .the taxation should be put pn to the heavy traffic. Mr Miller said that present-day needs must be considered. The heavy traffic did the damage eveiy time. He thought that the load should be limited, especially in the winter. When the heavy traffic damaged the roads it penalised the lighter traffic. A heavy license fee of £2O was totally insufficient recompense for the damage done. Heavy traffic smashed up the foundations of the roads every time. He was not in favour of hampering any industry. His county was not desirous of encouraging heavy traffic pn its roads. -

Mr Brenan said that the great difficulty was the amount carriers had to pay on each separate truck. The usual standard truck throughout New Zealand was about 8% tons. The local bodies were the worst offenders. He quoted instances of local bodies and the Public Works Department, showing that these bodies had all purchased very heavy motor vehicles. To ask a lorry owner to pay £B5 ra license fees for the purpose of heavy carting on the roads between Ngatea and Waihi was extortionate. The conference seemed tp lose sight ofthe fact that horse cartage did a large amount of damage to the roads. He was in favour of license fees for horse-drawn vehicles, but they should not be so liarsh as those fop heavy motor vehicles. The cream carts were a contributing factor to the bad state of the roads.

Mr Alley favoured a system of tollgates. . . '

Mr Robinson was of the opinion that the calling of the conference was ill-timed. He considered that it would have been better to have waited until the Government had brought forwards its definite policy with regard to the Main Highway Boards. It was possible that if thte Government was going to subsidise the coun ties and other local bodies the cost of licenses might possibly be 1 reduced.

Mr Coulter said he thought, that the local bodies were the victims of progress. Motor engineers had worked too fast and too successfully for road engineers.

Mr Ray said that he could not support the resolution as if stood. Ho thought it would be better for local bodies to arrange the amount of their own traffic licenses. In nis opinion the position could only be met by composite licenses.

After the luncheon adjournment the chairman said said that the morning’s discussion had shown that a difficult job had been undertaken. Could the conference agree: to modify the suggested. resolution by trebling ’the amount ■ for the counties,, the position would then be that if any county agreed to issue a license for £2l, the boroughs could issue their own licenses separately. /

Mr Hedge asked if commercial vehicles came under the heavy traffic scope.

Mr Marshall replied that a farmer owning a motor lorry solely for .his own use came under the heavy traffic section, and carrying more than 30cwt to a pair of wheels, including the weight of the vehicle, or three tons to four wheels.

The chairman then moved the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr-R. Coulter.:— ••That it be a recommendation to the councils represented at the'Conference that the license fee for motor vehicles engaged in heavy traffic shall be £1 for each ton oi part of ton of the weight and carrying capacity of the vehicle up to seven tons in the boroughs represented, treble the amount in the counties, and fees quadrupled on all vehicles oven seven tons : the Hauraki Plains disassociating themselves because of the weight limit, and that cpmposite licenses be arranged for between any bodies contiguous to each other, and a reduction in each case of 20 per cent.” In speaking to the motion Mr Ray said that he was in favour of the first portion of it. He thought that per cent, was too high, and was of the opinion that it should be reduced to 25 per cent.

This was agreed to by the mover and seconder.

The chairman said that it, was impossible to get a perfect allocation. The resolution was only a recommendation, but he was anxious that it should be an acceptable one. Mr Hetherington said that any person taking out a license in his own area should be entitled to a reduction on the composite license in a contiguous area if necessary. ' The resolution was altered to read : “That it be-a recommendation to the Councils represented that composite licenses be arranged for between any two or more local bodies contiguous to one or the other, computed by adding together the license fee of eacn district and deducting 20 per cent,

and distribution made so that eacn local body receives 20 per cent, less than its full license fee.” in' seconding the resolution Mr Coulter said he thought that It was entirely on the right lines. Mr Walton afiked that the Hauraki Plains be again allowed to stand out, as they had to study the lines adaptable to their own county. The resolution was carried. SPEED. Mr Coulter moved that for all heavy traffic the speed should be a maximum of ten miles an hour. Seconded by Mr Johnstone, who quoted the instance of the Dairy Companys’ slow travelling electric lorries, which had been recognised as doing very little damage to roads. ■The resolution was carried unanimously. HORSE-DRAWN VEHICLES. The question of horse-drawn vehicles evoked a lot of discussion. The chairman moved that, the regulation governing the width of tyres in' proportion to the weight of the load should be the regulation as set out by the Hauraki Plains County Council, and should be adopted. Seconded by Mr Hetherington and earned. HORSE VEHICLE LICENSES. It was- decided, that the fees, for iiorsei-drawn yeliicles should be 253 for a t,wo wheeled vehicle carrying from 30cwt up to four tons, and 50s for a four-wheeled vehicle . carrying up to seven tons. The chairman said that these regulations would apply to all such heavy traffic horse-drawn vehicles, whether owned privately or by local bodies. Mr Lowe thought that the difference between the fees' for horse-drawn vehicles and those for motor lorries was too great. Horse-drawn heavy traffic was disastrous to loads. He thought that the fee was too small.

Mr Brenan suggested that the fees charged might reasonably be half theambunt charged for motor lorries. Mr Ray did not think that his county would agree to the suggestion, because it had so little heavy horse traffic. As far as timber carting' was concerned, his county made special arrangements with the sawmills to pay a percentage on the output from the mills.

Mr Lowe said he thought that the matter was most important, and a definite regulation should be framed governing horse-drawn heavy traffic.. Mr Coulter feaid that heavy traffic licenses as regards horse-idrawn vehicles woiild not penalise the farmers. Traffic should be grouped as- ordinary, heavy, and extraordinary. Timber cartage would ..be classed as extraordinary traffic.

Mr Robinson said that the proposed charges worked out to lesser amounts than his council was receiving in fees at present, It, would mean the revision of his council’s by-laws, and he did not feel justified in cdinmitting.it to that extent. He was in favour of a committee being formed from members of the conference to go carefully info the matter, and thus save a lot of/discussion at that stage. .

Mr Brenan thought that for a fonrinch tyre with a maximum load of. 64ewt was inclined to be on the light .;ide, but that was only his opinion It was recognised that the wider, the tyre the less damage there was doiio to the roads.

Messrs. Robinson, Coulter, and Wallnutt said they were not at that stage prepared to commit their councils in any way in the matter under discussion. . . .

The chairman said that copies of the resolutions and reports would do sent t.o each local body represented at the conference that day.

•The following resolution was then moved by the Mayor, seconded by Mr Lowe, and carried :—

“That is be a recommendation co the Councils represented that the scale of charges • for ’ horse-drawn vehicles be half those already agreed on for motor vehicles with the same conditions, the maximum load and fee for each vehicle to be computed according to the load allowed on a given size of tyre in the schedule regulating same;—Carried. The Hauraki Plains and Piako counties and Te Aroha borough representatives refrained from recording their vot,es. LOADING LIMIT.

It was decided to ask lor definite statutory power to limit heavy traffic and to restrict loads to seven tons.

SHORT TERM LICENSES.. It was deieded that short term licenses should be provided, similar to the provisions contained in the Hauraki Plains County by-laws. TRAFFIC CHARGES. On the motion of Mr Marshall, seconded by Mr Johnstone, the following resolution,was carried: "That we ask for power to prohibit by resolution on certain secondary streets ->r roads heavy, traffic of over 4 tons except by special permit, applicant for such permit to provide indemnity against possible damage.” “TO HAVE AND TO HOLD.” Mr Johnstone suggested that it -should be a recommendation from the conference that each local body should be responsible for and to collect all its own vehicular taxes, and not leave the matter to the Government. Mr Marshall said that Mr Johnstone’s opinion was that it was far better "to have and to hold.” THE HIGHWAYS BOARD. The chairman briefly explained the proposed works of the Main Highways Board, and its. constitution, and also described the . proposed boundaries as laid down by the board. Mr Lowe said he was of the opinion that the group was far too large and unwieldy. The district was too scattered, and there was not sufficient community of interest. Mr Miller said that he entirely agreed with the last speaker. An alteration in the present group was most desirable. There was no link between, say, Otprohanga andJCawhia, and Thames or Coromandel. He questioned whether it was safe to leave it to the District Council Of the High ways Board to define what roads were to be main highways. He thought not, as there was a chance that a

main county road would not neces- . j sarily become a main highway. For instance, a main highway road should ■ be constructed from direct through Pokeno, Hauraki Plains -O Waihi and Tauranga. Mr Coulter thought that every local body should send its most able member to the suggested conference and make the recommendations whicti would be of the greatest benefit to the district. A great deal would depend on proper and efficient grouping in the future. Mr Robinson said he fully agreed with the former speakers. He was disappointed with the proposals of ;s finance to local bodies as set out jy the proposed Highways Board. The local bodies would want io present a bold front and attend the coming confer Alice with a clear and definite -indication of what was best fur the advancement • and progress pf thA dis?, trict. The chairman then moved that it be a recommendation to the district conference that the Highways group for this district should include Piako, Matamata, Thames, Coromandel, Hauraki Plains, and Ohinemuri. * Seconded by Mr Robinson and carried. . - ; - The Piako representative refrained } from voting on the subject. EXCLUSION OF BOROUGHS,. Mr Coulter said that he did not see -,vhy the Government had not invited representatives from borough couu« cils to attend the district conferences of the Main Highways Board. The boroughs were not interested to such a large extent in the matter as were the counties, but they would be called on to contribute their share to the cost of maintenance of the He thought it was most necessary that the boroughs should be represented and co-operate with the counties in the deliberations and decisions as to which routes the main • highways should take. Mr Miller suggested that; the gathering that day should consider the route that the main highways should take, so that the delegates to the district conference, is be held ~ in Hamilton on July 24« would be in a positibn to know what the’ feelings of the gathering had been. The chairman explained that the in Hamilton would deal with the system of grouping ofilyl The question of routes. would not be discussed at that meeting. ' BOROUGH REPRESENTATION. A discussion of some length again took place as to the borough-councils being left out .of representation at the district conferences. - Mr Lowe moved that the borough councils should .be given lepfesentaticn at the conferences. Any decisions ’ arrived at pertaining ’to the main roads scheme should only be arrived at with the borough councils’ fu’l . knowledge and agreement Mr Coulter, who seconded the resolution, thought that the boroughs' should assert themselves. - , < The motion was carried.;. In moving a vote of thanks to. the ~ chairman (Mr W. Marshall) Mr Heth eringtop congratulated nim on the. very, able manner in which the conference had been conducted. He said they sometimes thought that Paeroa, was inclined to be parochia.* and selfeentred, but he thought it was a ma.-, tier for congratulation the way the Borough of Paeroa had acted in tak- : ing the initial step in calling a representative gathering of loipal bodies in the district to discuss such important. matters. The motion was seconded by Mr Coulter and carried with acclamation. In thanking the meeting for; its resolution the chairman said that he felt some very, important work kad been done' that day. He was grateful tp the representatives for attending ’ and the help and support they had given, and he felt it to be art honour to preside over a meeting comprised of the public men assembled. . Al- . though the preparation for the con- > s ference had involved a lot of work, and had required a good deal of time, it was gratifying tp think that one’s services had, to some extent, borne fruit, and had been appreciated.