CORRESPONDENCE.

Motueka Star, Volume II, Issue 91, 27 June 1902, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE .

To the Editor. Sir : In your last report of the meeting of the Motueka Borough Council, it was remarked that “ metal broken by the stone breaker only cost 4s 2d per yard.” I take it that this is meant the cost of breaking and putting on the roads. Now, sir, though it is generally understood by the ratepayers that the metal is only costing so much, yet a great many are under the impression that the metal costs far more than represented. I have submitted a short statement of the cost of the last two days crushing done by the breaker, including the cost of putting on the roads, showing that this metal has cost 7s 6d per yard. The number of yards may not" be quite correct, yet from good authority I am led to believe I am not a few yards out.

£26 o o Say Council have broken 800 yards per year. .\_Cost per Jyard for metal, for interest, etc., 7 4-5 - Total cost, 7s 6 2-sd. Some will contend that 60 yards of metal crushed in 2 days is not a fair representation of what the breaker can do. They contend she will break 60 yards in one day. If this is admitted, it will bring the cost to a little over Is per yard less, but can she break 60 yards per day ? lam told “No, she cannot, with such good results.” I believe she has done so, but, Sir, remember the sample, far from up to the standard of good cracked metal, and to show a good sample she must crush less ; thus the result of last crushing, the best she has crushed. Now, Sir, I firmly believe that if a detailed statement was drawn out of the expenditure in connection with the stonebreaker, and shown against it the amount of stone crushed, the result 1 would show that the metal cost over 7s 1 per yard. , 1 I am, etc., I Onlooker.

£ s d 60 yds of metal cost is 6d yd delivered at breaker ... 4 IO • Hire of engine for 2 days ... 4 4 0 Manual labour for do. ... 2 5 • Horse and cart 17 0 16 0 .•. 60 yds metal, cost for breaking per yard, 3s 11 i~5d. 4 carts, days at 1 is a day ... 5 IO 0 2 men, days at 6s 6d do. ... 1 12 6 7 2 6 .*. Cost carting and spreading, per yard, 2s 4^d. Setting in one set jaws for breaker ... 1 10 0 One set jaws cost ... ... 10 0 0 £1* 10 0 Say one set jaws breaks 400 yards of metal. .*. Cost metal per yard for each set jaws, 6 9-iod. Interest on breaker, Trucks, etc., 5 per cent per year ... 16 Breaker cost say it i O 0 will last 30 years. Depreciation in value for 1 year ... io 0 0