MAINTENANCE OF COUNTY ROADS.

Shannon News, 14 October 1924, Page 2

MAINTENANCE OF COUNTY ROADS.

TRACTOR-GRADER SUGGESTED. • At the Horowhemia County Council's meeting, on Saturday, the question oi the provision of a motordriven grader was discussed as th© result' oi Cr.' eJnsen's statement that at present much of the metal put. on the roads was being wasted. Cr Jensen stressed the necessity for using the grader to its lull capacity It was only by this means that the metal could be kept from being scattered off to. the sides oi the road'. 11 a tractor was too expensive, then the County should get horses. The Engineer staled that the dimculty' wa s in getting horses. Tjhe County had paid up to 10s per day for a horse and had fed it on top ol this . Even then they had not been able to secure horses regularly. The chairman said that the matter of getting a Fordson grader might have to be considered. To pull the present grader with a tractor would he too expensive, but the Fordson could be worked economically. The . best thing that "he had seen was the Fordson tractor-grader.' This „ could ibe operated by one man. To put on a tractor to pull a grader would mean one man on the tractor and another on the grader. The saying of wages* on the combined machine would pay interest and sinking fund. He was of opinion that one, tractor-grader shoulid be able to ilQOk iaiter the whole of the main roads, and he was . of opinion that it would more than save its \" cost inside twelve months. He would go into the matter, during the coming month and would -see if it would be -possible to get the necessary finance. If itt could be managed he considere4 -tb at the ma« chinery should be' obtained immediately« " ►■ . ' '"'/ -i.x. The chairman's statement met. with the full support of the Council, the matter befng (deferred pending inquiry into the matter of finance.