BY ROAD OR RAIL?

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 271, 17 January 1929, Page 1

BY ROAD OR RAIL?

CARTAGE OF POSTS. I Deputation to Council. The proposed limitation of motor traffic to 2a tons on the Mangaiti deviation by the Matamata County Council, drew forth several protests which were read at the January meeting, the protests having been forwarded by the Minister of Public Works, to whom they had been addressed. Mr. L. R. Lindeman, storekeeper and carrier, Mokai, stated that the section of road concerned was only six miles in length and the last part of the road to Mokai. He had contracted to take out 50,000 posts during the summer, and also a number of sleepers, and the road was the only suitable outlet to the Putaruru station. All his store goods also came in by motor. The writer expressed his willingness to refrain from carting during wet weather, and suggested that fast heavy service cars did as much damage as his lorries. Messrs. Pass and H. L. Martin, in their objection, stated their contracts involved 100,000 posts and 100 men, mostly married, were employed. About 10 L trucks per week were fed at Putaruru station, and the bush ■[ from which carting was done was ; not a green one, hut one through which several fires ’"ad passed. Their business was a legP’mate one, feed--ig the railways at the nearest possible point. Mr. W. R. Pass, in a letter which he sent direct to the council, stated the road was a 6-ton one, and that instead of trying to reduce such a main road to the standard of a byroad, he felt it would be a fairer and . more reasonable course to bring pressure to bear on the Main Highways Board, so that the road would be maintained to standard out of motor taxation provided for such purposes. The council’s attitude would strike a blow at legitimate trade, which was feeding the railways at the nearest possible point, and would allow other traffic (fast, heajjy service cars), which competed with the railways, to escape.

His lorries paid approximately £2 per week in taxation, and quite a considerable amount of capital had been invested in the business, and large contracts entered into. In view of the fact that the road was gazetted as a 6-ton road he held it was quite natural for businessmen to regard it as such, and to enter into commitments on this supposition. If there was any fault he held it was in the road not being maintained by the Main Highways Board out of motor taxationService cars escaped the proposed regulation, though they did as much damage, simply because their lighter loads—passengers and mail matter—• could he more heavily charged with freight costs.

In conclusion, he drew the council s attention to clause 4, regulation 9, of the Motor Lorry Regulations, which expressly demanded reasonableness when prohibiting traffic. In view of | this, the opinion was expressed that the solution should be by way of increased subsidy and not in prohibiting legitimate trade. On the motion of the chairman the discussion on the above letters was taken in committee. After resuming, it was decided, on the motion of Crs. Allen and Judd, that pressure he brought to bear on the Public Works Department to enforce the Order-in-Council on the T.T.T. Co.’s railway with a view to the posts being freighted by rail instead of by road. Messrs. H. L. Martin, T. Grimshaw, D. Walls and W. Roe waited on the council to place their positions. Messrs. Martin and Grimshaw stated their views of the case, which they had already detailed in letter to the council. In reply, the chairman stated they were very pleased t.® hear the deputation’s troubles, as there were always two sides to every question. The council had to take the steps it did because some of the traffic was getting beyond control. The regulations, however, were elastic and once

the council gained control they could give permission to those v T ho had entered into contracts to carry on under certain conditions. The crux of the whole matter w’as that there was an alternative outlet via the T.T.T. Co.’s railway, and this being the case the council had to take the steps it was .doing to protect its ratepayers. The engineer stated that the procedure now was for members to make application for permission to exceed the regulations and to name their lorry drivers as the council had “ a black list.” (Laughter). Mr. Grimshaw: Can we carry on in the meantime until our applications are put in ? The chairman stated that members could ■go into the county office and put their applications in straight away.

The deputation, before retiring, expressed their appreciation of the council’s attitude and stated that they were out to assist the council in every way.