DIESEL SHOVEL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 54, 25 August 1939, Page 5

DIESEL SHOVEL

'I \ f 4 * i PURCHASE "THE COtJNTY '* REDUCING ROADING CO§TS ,rj. L\ AH Further mechanisation as a ine-uis of bringing Taljour costs into better relation with the expenditure on material seems to be the Whakatane County Council's policy, for at a meeting on Tuesday it was decided t 0 have a diesel tractor shovel demonstrated and purchase it if the demonstration proved satisfactory. The decision was not taken without, a full discussion, after a report froru the Mr C.. H. Brebner. Councillors were confident that the machine would prove most efficient, but some doubted whether the council could make full use of the machine by the purchase of sufficient material tg keep jt economically eniplovetl. / Tlie. matter was discussed when -i letter was read from Cough, Gondii and Haniei' X-td, thanking the council for its request fOf a demonstra. tion and promising to comply. HcSwa« two customers were alljdoH<» to take delivery of a machine which was arriving shortly and would be used for the demonstration, the com pany asked the council whether it intended to purchase the outfit provided the demonstration was satisfactory. Mr Brebner reported on the running costs of the shovel as compared with a-track and two men iri the loading of shingle. These figures | showed a great saving with the diesel unit. Cr D. W. Spence said he would like to have more information before he supported its purchase. He realised that the unit would mean a great saving, and he was keen to see a, great deal more. Mr Brebner, seemed to have emphasised the cartage of shingle, though they were not at present doing a great deal of this. Mr Brebner said lie merely took shingle loading as an instance of * the machine's economy. Many other jobs coulcl be done with the unit* such as road widening and cutting back banks.

Cr J. L. Burnett chairman, asked 9 whether Mr Brebner could give an assurance that the proportionate saving "xvould be as great as he . had claimed. ,

Mr Brebner said he could hardly give an but he did give it as his considered opinion that the machine would affect great economies. All seemed ultimately to raise costs and involve further commitments, thought Cr H. C. MeCready. Costs would probably be a great deal higher if there were no mach-i inery, stud Cr Burnett. Without ma. chinery they would never be able to do all the work, or keep the roads from deteriorating. Cr McCready'pointed to the extra fuel costs. Machinery* built an asset, said Cr Spence, and he gave'an instance 01 its value in .Taranaki. He' wholeheartedly supported the use of the though he questioned whether the council had the revenue to make the best use of it. He also asked whether 5 as a local body, the coun cil would not have to call tenders before it purchased the machine.

The chairman said it was hardly necessary to dc this, as the firm in question, was the only concern hand, ling these machines. Before the machine came down "they must decide Avhether to buy it. He recommended this. He saw the machines wqrking during his recent Wellington

trip and he was satisfied that one would be of benefit to the council.

Cr Spence moved, and Cr Wardlaw seconded, that the council should buy the machine after a satisfactory demonstration.

Cr W. A. McCracken had no doubt the machine would prove efficient, but the cost must be considered. The rates were going up and machines had a tendency to put them up further. The costs and savings needed to be gone into thoroughly and he was rather in the dark as to the machine's value. Cr Burnett said that they had a ccrtain amount of money to spend on and this machine would lei them spend it much more efficiently. It Avas A r ersatile and could go any where, and was light and speedy and •easj r to handle. The machine Avould surprise councillors. The chairman gave one instance Avhere the council spent £2927 on labour and £1400 on material for road ing. That AAa.s out of all proportion it:/VY3s the.common thing. }■ . J. Burt asked how man a* g^aAel pits, the machine could work. (Continued at"~fobr of next cob 1311^

He was. told that the Matata pit was the only one where it would not be of service, and he suggested that this - would mean that they would have to,, bring metal to Matata. It was pointed out that there were many other uses for the machine from carting metal. It was not a question of buying experience, said the chairman. The machines were proved and tested, .and he agreed with Mr Brebner when he said that the best proof of their, efficiency and economy was that all Inrge. private contractors' were them.;- .- : v ~i

After; a the ma-' tidn was carried unanimously.