MACHINERY FOR ROADS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5265, 20 April 1928, Page 2

MACHINERY FOR ROADS.

LABOUR-SAVING DEVICES.

DEMONSTRATION TO COUNCILS

In order to show the value of modern machinery -for the use of maintenance of r.oads two machinery firms gave a practical demonstration of the respective -machines' and - implements for which they are.agents on Wednesday afternoon in- the presence! of the chairmen, engineers, and members of the Ohinemuri, Hauraki Plains, and Thames County Councils, the Mayor of Paeroa, and engineers from t-hej local office of the Public Works- Department.

The portion of the highway chosen for the demonstration was .what is known as the Hikutaia Quarry length on the main Thames-Paeroa road in the Ohineanwri County passing between Messrs-M- A. Devcich’s and A. H. Aliev’s farms.' included in the piece is a short hill having a. grade of 1 in 15. On, this portion, the scarifying was done, and it should be stated that the road, which is heavily packed with boulders and ’heavy metal., has never been scarified previously.

The first machine to be tried out was a McCormick-Deering tractor attached to which was a sejven-tyne scairifier, and also a Gilbert road grader which, contrary to the usual custom, was pushed ahead of the tractor. For the purpose of the demonstration two teeth- only were used’, and the hardness and solidity of the road caused the steel tynes to bend and the driving wheels. which were shod with sdlid rubber, to lose their grip on the. road. After the length of road! had been covered several times ;and good work done, th's machine; retired in favour of its rival. The second machine was a. Case tractor, which pulled a Stockland Whippet scarifier and grader. The difference in the power of the two tractors and the construction and manipulation of the scarifiers and graders was very marked. After scarifying the opposite side of the road with varying success, the performance being keenly watched by the interested 1 spectators—who freely voiced their opinions on the merits .and demerits of the two machines —the, scene of operations was transferred several ■chains down the road towards the Hikutaia Stream bridge.

On! the level ipiece of road the machines in turn, gave a demonstration of road grading and spreading of the metal and debris taken from the sides of the road. On this particular kind of work b ? o*th machines showed that they were admirably suited for roadgrading purposes, the operation being performed expeditiously and 'satisfactorily. At the conclusion of the trials the agents were thanked for the demonstrations given, the consensus ‘of opinion of the spectators being that both machines were more suitable for road maintenance work than for construction and formation operations.