MAIN SOUTH ROAD TRAFFIC.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 183, 9 January 1912, Page 7

MAIN SOUTH ROAD TRAFFIC.

AN AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT. At the Taranaki County Council meeting yesterday, a letter was read from Mr. H. Baily ire damage done on the road by the Coast Transport engine, and agreeing to the resolution of last meeting of the Council, at which Mr. Sladtkin was appointed arbiter. He said with regard to the future, where the damage exceeded £25 the company would have the right to refer the estimates to an engineer. Mr. L. C. Sladden wrote stating that he was unable to act as sole arbiter in the case of assessing damage on Main South road. < Mr. H. Baily, accompanied by Mr. Johnstone (solicitor), waited on the Council with reference to the above totter. Mr. Johnstone said that before his clients should be saddled with a greater amount of damage than £25 they wanted the right to liave it checked. They had agreed to Mr. Sladden's assessment for the present damage done, but when over £25 they wanted an additional engineer.

Cr. McAllum asked if the agreement made at last meeting: had been signed, and received a reply in the negative. Mr. Johnstone said it was only a reasonable variation that he asked for, and would like the Council to consider it.

Cr. McAllum pointed out that that was the third time Mr. Johnstone had attended the meeting in connection with the same matter, and they seemed r>o nearer a finality than before.

Mr. Johnstone said he thought t'; were near finality. It was only a si matter that was asked for, and th. :i I no other alteration would be suggested., According to the present agreement, an engine might go through a bridge, the cost of which might run into £2OO, and in that case a check would be required on the estimate of damage. He thought Mr. Sladden would accept the position if something like that were agreed to. ' The deputation was about to retire, when Mr. Baily asked if they might remain to hear what a deputation just coming in had to say, as they were concerned about the same traffic. The chairman said certainly, as the meeting was open to the public. Messrs. Roebuck, Wooldridge, Richards and Malone then waited on the Council, and were introduced by Cr. Andrews. Mr. Roebuck said the steam waggon was doing a lot of damage. The deputation wanted the Council to do something for them. It had been said that the waggon only did harm in wet weather, but harm was done during the fime weather, as the waggon crushed the surface, and then the wind would blow the gravel away. He had heeit running waggons for the past 20 years, and he had never seen the roads so bad as they were now. The road' was crushed to powder in the fine weather, and in the wet wieather it was a quagmire. The opinion of the, ratepayers was that the steam waggons did more damage than ordinary traffic. Mr. Wooldridge said that he had been doing two trips daily with a motor lorry with rubber tyres, but on account of the state of the road he could only d'o. one now. The ratepayers interested protested against steam waggons. The traffic was less than it was last year on account of the flax carting being off the road. The extra carting of cheese and pi-p did not make up the difference. Mr. Kichurds said, as a business man of 14 years, he had not seen the road in such a state as it was now, and it had taken place all in the last twelve months.' The settlers did not feel like paying for' a loan for steam waggons, when, with their own traffic, the road would be .rood, enough. ° Cr. Hill asked them if they considered < the road would be as bad if the steam waggons were not on it. The deputation replied no. The deputation then withdrew. Cr. Andrews thought the request of' the Transport Co. was a reasonable one. As they pointed out, a waggon might go through a bridge, and an estimate would be required of damage done. The chairman, in reply to Cr. Hopson.i said the damage would be assessed whenever required. On the motion of Cr. Hill, seconded by Cr. McAllum, it was resolved that the Council consents to a clause being inserted in the agreement with the Coastal Transport Company, agreeing that where the estimated damage exceeds £25, the company has the right to refer the as9essnfent to an engineer appointed by them, and in the event of a disagreement hetween such engineer and Mr. Sladden,.. the decision of an umpire, to be appointed by them, shall be binding and final between the Council and the company. Mr. Sladden waited on the Council, and explained why he would not accept the position of arbiter in assessing the damage* done. He said some new metal had been put on, and he could not say what condition the road wa s in before, as. not having the appointment then he had not taken particular notice. He thought however that it would not exceed £25. The chairman was of opinion that £25 would be about right. Mr. Sladden was prepared to accept the position if his rough estimate would be accepted. This was agreed to and the chairman said in the future Mr. Sladden would get instruction from the Council when damage required to 'be assessed. The resolution passed re the agreement made with the company as to damage over £25 was also agreed to bv Mr. Sladden. "