TRACTOR v. LORRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3966, 9 July 1929, Page 2

TRACTOR v. LORRY.

DEBATE BY COUNCILLORS. A debate on the respective' merits of a. tractor and motor lorry occurred at last . night’s Borough Council meeting. The question of the advisability of strapping the tractor and purchasing a lorry was raised by Cr. Robinson who said that at present a great deal of time was wasted by the road staff with the tractor. It was the greatest labour waste the Council had, lie said, and the sooner they got rid of it and purchased a tw'o-ton lorry the better. The tractor took an hour to start each mornng and was continually giving trouble. The. Council would benefit if they gave it away. Cr. Rand said he had been opposod to the purchase of the tractor from the beginning. A tip lorry was a far 'better proposition. If could do the work required of it in half the time and undertake gra - ding work too. 'lt also had the advantage of being able to spread metal ns it went, requiring only one man to manage it. The Mayor considered the tractor the better machine for grading rnorlk. It was also very handy about town. Ctr. Robinson said tractors were being scrapped in the South Island which was going in 'for horses. A lorry would do all the 'grading the Council wanted. Cr. Barron said the Council would have no trouble in selling the tractor. The Clerk said the tractor did not owe the 'Council anything. It had been hired to British Pavements during the course of the construction of the local streets and footpaths and considerable revenue had been derived from it in that way. He did not think it fair to work horses on 'bitumen. 'Or. Crowe said no difficulty would be 'experienced in starting the tractor if a. “Hotshot” battery was used. Grading was not very successful when done by a lorry. The Clerk said said that previous experience had proved that a lorry was too fast for successful g/rading. The tractor had been pure-based when the loan of £SOOO had been raised, and a. lot 'of re-metailing work had been carried out, something like 2000 yards of metal having been carted by the tractor. The tractor had paid for itself. After further discussion it was decided to liefer the matter to the Works Committee to report on.