Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1917. A COUNTY GRIEVANCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1736, 10 July 1917, Page 2

Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1917. A COUNTY GRIEVANCE.

AS the Palmerston-Foxton (rain was waiting at Rangiotu last night, four horse-drawn lorries, heavily laden wilh benzine or kerosene, passed along the road from Eoxton to Palmerston. This particular caravan was one of many horse and petrol lorries and trailers which pass along this road between Foxlon and Palmerston every week. As a result of this traffic, the road is badly cut up, and the ratepayers within the riding are burdened with the cost of extraordinary road maintenance. The member for the riding, Mr \V. E. Barber, is at his wit’s end to know what to do to keep the road in fair repair, and this riding is becoming a severe tax on tho County funds. The member for the riding lias entered an emphatic protest to the Chairman of the County Council, and has asked him to take immediate steps to protect the interests of the ratepayers. We are informed 1:1ml (he petrol is carted from Eoxton to Palmerston at Is j>cr case, and 28 cases is reckoned to the ton. The lurries come from Palmerston, a distance of 25 miles, to load, and then return, a journey of 50 miles, and the charge is, as stated, Is per case, presumably delivered to the door of the merchants. The cost of railage from Foxlon to Palmerston is 24s per ton, plus 10 per cent. The difference in cost of transit is not groat, probably a shilling or two to (he credit of the road traffic. To effect this saving for the merchants the Manawatu County ratepayers are burdened with extra road maintenance, which runs into hundreds of pounds annually. Strong representations should bo made to the railway authorities to induce them to reduce tho freight on this class of goods, in order to successfully compete with the motor traffic and relieve the county ratepayers of an unjust burden. We also direct the attention of the member for the district to the matter. The ratepayers in the riding are up in arms against the extraordinary traffic, and would like an interview with Coleuel Hiley, if he can spare a little time from hia military duties, to listen to them.