HEAVY ROAD TRAFFIC BANNED.

Shannon News, 16 May 1922, Page 3

HEAVY ROAD TRAFFIC BANNED.

FOR PERIOD OF FIVE MONTHS

The County Chairman (Cr. G. A. ! Monk) made special reference to the condition of the county roads at Saturday’s meeting of the Council. The J subsidiary roads, he said, were in an j unsatisfactory condition, this being i brought about by the fact that the j Council spent the greater part of its j money on the main roads. -This in turn was necessary on account of the heavy traffic that passed over their main roads. What this traffic meant to the county, however, councillors would see from a perusal of the Engineer’s estimates for the coming j year. If the county was compelled to j spend the money which the estimates specified, it would mean approaching a condition near bankruptcy.- The chairman said the Council had power under the Public Works Act to close their roads for five months to heavy traffic, and he suggested closing the roads from now till September next. It was done by other counties. “The management, or mismanagement, of the railways has driven this heavy ; traffic on to our roads,” said the | chairman, “and we should drive it ( from the roads back to the railways , again.” He moved that the Council J take action under the Public Works J Act to close its main roads to heavy . traffic for a period of five months, | namely, May, June, July, August and j September.

Cr. Ryder agreed with the chairman, and seconded the motion. He did not think they could keep their roads in order, in fact, until they imposed a motor tax. Cr Harkness referred to the, geographical position of the county, which was a long stretch along the coast, and traversed from end to end by a main road. This district could not he compared with Taranaki, • for instance, which had much larger rateable resources to draw upon than Horowhenua. The chairman said the flow of traffic from all over the North Island passed through Horowhenua, and the Council had to stand the upkeep. There was only one county in a worse position, and that was the Hutt.

The motion was then carried. Cr. Harkness: How will we classify the traffic?

The Engineer: It is regulated. The heavy traffic limit is 13cwt to each pair of wheels, including the weight of the vehicle.

The chairman: We have got to take drastic steps in this matter, and it is an instruction to the Engineer to carry out. the Council’s decision.