HEAVY MOTOR TRAFFIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1920, Page 2

HEAVY MOTOR TRAFFIC.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF OWNERS. FOB MAINTENANCE OP ROADS. A deputation of ten settlers from the Newttll and Cnrrlneton Bonds waited 011 Hip Egmont County Council at Its meeting on Tuesday ana complained strongly about tne damage caused to the roads by ( the heavy motor lorry traffic from the sawmill. Mr. Frasor Jones, who acted as spokesman, said that the state of tie road was not only a scandal to the whole country, lnit to the Eemont County Council, and they wanted to see the matter rectified. The settlers had raised a loan of £405. which, with the Government subsidy of £4OO, had put down a Rood road capable of carrying up to 3-toM. but at the present time there was practically a daily traffic of timber lorries, carrying approximately nine tons, wtili tl-e result that the road was practically ruined. Ho estimated that it would cost more to renew it. than it cost originally to lay down. The ■sctllcrs had rated themselves to imake a road, which was a credit to the district, and It was. now a disgrace, nothing having been done to It save what tl:e settlers had done themselves in order to get their milk to tl'e factory.

The chairmali and others bore out these statements. The question was. What were they going » do with the wagon? Cr. ' O'Brien thought an officer should be sent to stop the lorry at once. He understood an arrangement had been made that the owner stould pay for all damage, and this should be enforced. Cr. Wright stated that he and the engineer had visited the road some time ago, and noted the damage.

The engineer stated that the .Council was aware of the position? the state of the road having been reported." A man had been sent up patching. Cr. Green said ttat the settlers had real grounds for complaint. They should put a royalty on the cartage of timber,,, or else obtain a subsidy from the owner. Cr. O'Brien thought, the Council should have stopped the wagon before the damage occurred.

Later. Mr. ChristofTel, representing the Taranaki Motors Ltd., owners of the sawmill and tnotor lorry, waited on the Council, and stated the company had Intended repairing tl-e road, but the bad weather had prevented it. However, during the Christmas holidays they would put the road In thorough repair. The company had endeavoured not io work the wagon during the wet weather, but tliis was difficult to arrange. Cr Tosland said it was a scandalous thing for a contractor to knock the road about like he laid done. He would he prepared to propose tl-at the wagon be put off the road and tlie owner prosecuted. He also favored the Council putting men on to repair the rm.d iiirt charge the cost to ihe owner of the luri'itii.

Mr. ChriStoSFel acknowledged he hail agreed to keep the road in repair. He had expected the Concll to value the road before tliey coromemced carting then afterwords, and he understood this arrangement was still in force. The Newell Boad was just as bad where his lorries had not been.. He recognised that if the lorry were stopped it would mean closing the sawmill. He was prepared to put the road In good order or pay for it being put in otder. It was as necessary for him to have a good road as for the settlers. Jlis compnny was also prepared to , consider the . question of paying a royalty to maintain the road once,lt was In order. In fact the company was prepared to consider anything reasonable. He stated there had bene others carting firewood, etc. Mr. Christoilel undertook to put one man on the toad'tit once, and several during the holidays, the/.work to be done to the satisfaction of the ■ engineer. Mr. ChvlStflffel's offer waa accepted.