COUNTY ROADS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2489, 5 October 1922, Page 2

COUNTY ROADS.

DAMAGE BY MOTOR TRAFFIC. MANAWATU COUNCIL’S PR-0->" TEST. The heavy increase in motor traffic and the consequent damage done to county roads was commented upon by members of the M.inawatu County Council at Tuesday’s meeting when objection was taken to both lorries and cars damaging the roads while the ouncil received no return in revenue. The suggestion that a heavy tax be placed on motor traffic was described by one councillor as merely the lesser of two evils —on the one hand suffering the damage of the roads, and on the other an increase in the price of conveying produce by motor. The council finally decided to enforce a by-law relating -to heavy motor traffic. The discussion was introduced by! the chairman (Sir .Tas. Wilson), who said there was no doubt the motor traffic was damaging the country roads. He was of the opinion 'that they had a legal right to charge a license fee. Cr. Barber: It will soon be necessary to do something in the interests of the ratepayers. Many of those who damage our roads not our ratepayers. The chairman: Our legal position is. sound. These people are using our roads daily and we are getting no return.

Cr. Boyce instanced many eases where it was cheaper to convey produce by motor than by rail. He did not blame..the producers, if they could profit by it, but be thought the council should take some action to prevent the county roads being destroyed as a result. He referred to Hie statements made at the recent conference between the dairy factory representatives and Mr Grant, of the Railway Department, which protested strongly against the heavy traffic on county roads, and suggested a resolution on these lines. Many newly-formed companies found it a profitable scheme to run motor conveyances in opposition to the railways. A resolution on the lines suggested could not do any harm.

The chairman said that he understood the Automobile Association had it should pay pertain levies on the ears, and in the - face of that the speaker could forsee no difficulties, being placed in the way of the council. Cr. Hunt suggested a tax. The railways, he said, were unable to compete with the motors in the traffic the latter were from which a big profit was be\«£ derived. The Government was losing the country a large sum of money and the council was one Of j the bodies which had to assist in making it up. ' -• Cr. Barber: And we have to make Hie roads ourselves.® Some immediate action is necessary to protect our roads. It was pointed out that, according to the county by-laws, the fee for motor-lorries was £25 and for passenger vehicles £2. Councillors expressed the opinion that £2 was a. very small charge for passenger vehicles. Cr. Fagan expressed the opinion that the lorries did not do half as much damage to the roads as the ordinary motor traffic.

The chairman: Heavy penalties have been inflicted recently in other counties for heavy traffic. Cr. Hunt moved that the council’s by-law relating to motor traffic plying for hire be enforced. The mover said he would like to make the penalty as heavy as possible, but the apportioning of the tax was a rather difficult undertaking. Cr. Barber, who seconded the motion, said thlitViT' ‘llie^-Hiad a really wet season the county roads would go completely,lo pieces. A Cr. Fagau opposed the motion, .-Luting that, by imposing a tax, they were indirectly taxing themselves m- the price of the conveyance of goods would rise immediately any levy was made. He doubted if the council would secure much revenue from the taaL ' ■ >w3 >• When asked to vote on the resolution, Cr. Penny said f lie yr.as oscillating between, evils ( and was doubtful as to . which was .the. lesser. If the resolution were carried the transport rates would almost assuredly be raised, whereas, if no action was.,taken, the council would suffer the destruction of its roads. However, he would vote for the resolution. The resolution was carried. Cr. Fagan (to the chairman) : You will complain when you have to pay 2s per bale extra for t\?SV carting of your wool. -The-chairman': 1 am quite prepared to pay extra for it if it is going to preserve the county roads. -**