HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 298, 11 August 1932, Page 6

HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES

EXEMPTION ON TRUCKS OWNED BY FARMERS NOT FAVOURED POSSIBILITY OF ABUSE A' letter from the Commissioner of Tianspoit asking the Rotorua County Council to express its views on the exemption of farmers' heavy : motor vehicles, used for the transport of their individual produce and supplies, from paynient of heavy traffic fees v/as received and discussed at the usual monthly meeting of the council yesterday. Cr. A. L. Keith considered that under the present eonditions, the , farmer found it more economical to rely on outside iransport for his carting requirements. He considered that when a farmer had paid for the upkeep of a heavy lorry and runnlng expenses, transport of his own produce was not a payable proposition. The grant'ng of the exemption : would, in some cases, be a dangerous precedent as there would be oeea- i sions' when farmers would perhaps corne into open competition with oat--:ide cariage contractors. Consideiing that the exemption ' was necessary in some districts. Cr. j J. E. Martin said that on large farms I a heavy truck was practically a nec- . essity and that it v/as unjust that a farmer, who used his truck only occasionally, had to pay the same fees as those who had their vehicles in continual use. Cr. II P. Ford was of the opinior that if the dangers could be overcome and only the genuine farmers granted exemntion, the proposal should be favourably considered, but he thought that advantage would be taken by some to use the trucks for commercial purposes and thereby defeat the oMect of the exemption. On Cr. Ford's motion it was decided to reply stating that wl.ile the counc'l sympathised with the farmer". vTho used their trucks only occasionally, in the meantime it could not support the proposal until the question of the derating of farm lands was reviewed.