OVERLOADING

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 364, 27 October 1932, Page 6

OVERLOADING

TIMBER CO. FINED TRAFFIC BRiEACHES RESULT IN SUBSTANTIAL PENALTY'; ROYALTY CONTENTION The prosecution of Wilsons Timber Mills, • Ltd., Te Whaiti, for various breaches/ of the motor traffic regulav- tions, occupied considerable time at the Magistrate's Court, before Mr. S. - L. Paterson, S.M., yesterday. About •- seven trucks -were involved in a series - of breaches. Mr. M. H. Uampson, for • the defendant company, pleaded guilty to all charges, but pointed out that • the position was regarded as most serious by the company ,and he desired to place the full facts before the court. Mr. E. Roe, who appeared for the Rotorua County Council, pointed out that four of th'e trucks which had brought in timher to the railway station had back-carted manure. The Te Whaiti Road was classed. as a fourton road, yet on one occasion trucks had carried, 4 ton 15cwt and on another 5 tons. Inward trucks with timber had been granted permission by , the county council to carry 5i tons, but one truck had been caught with 5 tons 5cwt and another had been found carrying 5ton 183cwt. Other charges involved failure to carry identification discs and the absence of the tare weight description of the vehicle. In discussing the overload- . _ ing of timber, Mr. Roe said each of the four drivers had been warned by the inspector against overloading, but the explanation of the drivers was that they were practically compelled to carry the heavy loads or, otherwise, be told to get another job. Paying Heavy Royalty Mr. Hampson, in presenting the case for the company, said a conference had been held by Wilson's with the county council, the Public Worlcs Department and the butter box company, when it was decided to allow the timber lorries to carry five tons in consideration of the company paying a ropalty of 1/- per hundred feet. The payment of that royalty had amounted to no less than £17 a mile of road. Laber Wilson's asked that an arrangement be made wh'ereby, instead of the rigid five-ton loads the lorries be allowed to carry 2000 feet of timber. As a matter of fact the company had been. careful to keep these loads below 2000 feet, but if it became necessary to cut loads down to 1600 feet of white pine the position would becomefTnost serious. The company was only just existing as a result of its output. An increase in the carrying cost of 25 per cent. would be an intolerable burden. With regard to the loads of manure he pointed out that the Railway Department had said 16 sacks went toi the ton when the right number was 12 and this mistake would be admitted. The reason for the tare weight description not appearing on two trucks t was that it was only missing between' two paintings. There was no gum on the identification discs and it was admitted that the drivers had been r.'eglectful in affixing them. In the cases where they were charged with overloading timber be pointed out that the actual amounts carried were 1613 feet of white pine and 2059 feet of rimu. No Overloadng Denis F. McCurdy, manager of the mill, denied that the drivers of the lorries had been expected to overload. The yardmen were instructed to put out 2000 feet of timber for each lorry load and the drivers were expected to \$ateh their springs and see that there was no overloading. The drivers who told the inspector that they were expected to carry more than 2000 feet or get the sack were not speaking the truth. The men warned by the ■ inspector may have reported to the previous manager, but not to him. After hearing further evidsnce Mr. Paterson convieted and imposed fines and -costs amounting to £14 10/-.