MAKARA HEAVY TRAFFIC

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2432, 10 April 1915, Page 4

MAKARA HEAVY TRAFFIC

A BY-LAW OBJECTED TO

QUARIffIIAN'S DILEMMA

A deputation of one, Mr. F. C. Mac®, waited upon the Makara. County Council yesterday on a niattor of more than ordinary interest to Makara County ratepayers. Some time ago the County Council passed a by-law prohibiting heavy traflic on tho county's roads for . five winter months of tho year, and Mr. Mace and his partner, owners of a quarry on the Ngahauranga Gorge Road, are particularly concerned in this, for the enforcing of tho by-law would liavo meant them closing down tho quarry.

The by-law reads as follows"Heavy traffic of all kinds, save for the carringe of agricultural produce or manure, shall cease during the whole of the months of May, June, July, August, and September."

For taking the metal from the quarry a traction engine' and trailers aro employed, and they would bo stopped if the by-law had to bo observed. Mr. Maoe pointed out first that when they started the quarries, five years ago, they got written permission to open them out. Unfortunately no referenco wus made to the question of transport, and at that time there were no by-laws in the county relating to traffic. It was pointed out then tnat engines would be used to get tho metal out. A lot of money had been put- into the quarry, and up to the present tho results had not been very satisfactory. Everything he had was in the quarrv, and if it was 6huit up h© would be forced to start life again. During the time ho and his partner had occupied the quarry tho/ nad done more than anybody else to keep the road in repair. Where they had a hard road, traction transport did not do any more harm to the road than horses and narrowwheel vehicles. Of course _ where the roads were soft wheels cut in. He contended that'their engine did not do much damage in the watertables. He further held that the road had not been properly made. If it was properly made, it would last for twenty yeare. There were three hundred of the trolleys running in the streets of London, at an annual fee of .CI each, and with no restrictions as to roads, and ho guaranteed that the Ixmdon streets were not on as sound a foundation as the county's roads. They were paying JG2OOO a year in wages at the quarry, and employed 14 to 20 men, quite apart from those employed. outside. It was absolutely in the power of the council to crush the quarry out. If it was closed down it would bo for good. A councillor pointed out that during the past two years it had taken SO per cent, of Ithe council's revenue to keep the load from the quarry to Ngahauranga in repair. That was for tho quarry aud abattoir traffic. Mr. Maco said that it the Toad was onco put in decent repair it would not requiiro such a. tremendous amount to keep it in repair, and would not warrant taking such drastic steps as shutting down an industry that had spent thousands. . .. Councillor Pik« . said that traction traffic was stopped nearly! all over tho Dominion for five Months of the year. Mr; Mace held that this was not the case, and where they had been stopped .it was where tho roads wsro.not fit to carry the traflic. The abattoir traffic did more damage than did the quarry traffic. He was willing to make any reasonable offer on his part. . , Councillor Pike: Ons trip of the traction engine in the winter does more damage than twenty in tho summer. ■Mt. Maco suggested that _ a committee should 1)0 appointed to go into the matter; and arrange an equitable understanding. Further, ne was prepared to let the Minister of Public Works appoint an engineer as an arbitrator. Thero was another thing they might do, approach tho Government and get them to take over tho road. He believed it could be done. Councillor Pike: I think they should take over all the arterial roads. Mr. Mace was asked " what quantity of metal he would consider a fair contribution this winter. He answered that a better way would be to fix a royalty on the metal taken ont. It was quite within,the possibilities that next year tho Government would take over the main The chairman said that they would go into the matter, and communicate the Tesnlt - .... ; After discussion in the council it was moved by Councillor Haggerty and seconded by Councillor Bryant that Mr. Macc ho'uld contribute .£SO worth of metal, at 7s. per yard, delivered, in consideration of him being allowed to run his traction engine and trailers oh the Ngahauranga tiorge Road. It was further decided to notify Mr. Mace that his drivers should be instructed to observo the rules of the road. A further'deputation of Titahi Bay residents waited on the council, and asked timt something should be done to repair the Titahi Bay Road. It is a private road, but it was suggested that something couid be put on the estimates to repair it. Councillor Taylor said that the council had inspected tho road in wet weather, and they agreed that it was in a bad state. It wanted taking in hand practically at once. It was finally decided that the council should meet a committee of Titahi Bay residents, at a date to be sottled, to arrango for the repair of the rouda in-the' settlement.