OVERLOADED LORRIES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 131, 1 December 1930, Page 16

OVERLOADED LORRIES

The Motor Lorry Regulations give authority to those bodies controlling main highways to impose a limit on the weight of vehicles using the roads. For the purpose of enforcing these regulations the Main Highways Board and some' local authorities employ traffic inspectors, who are provided with load-metei's. As a result of the operations of the board's inspector in the Wellington district a number of cases have recently been brought before the Court, and last Thursday Mr. T. B. M' Neil, S.lf., delivered reserved judgment on these, a number of convictiousi being-entered.

Certain of the defendants alleged that meters, were unreliable and varying in the results they record compared with the true weight of the load weighed. However, (after extensive tests had been carried out the Magistrate found that the results given by the machines were, sufficiently accurate for the purpose for which they are used.

In a number of cases where drivers had refused to permit weighing, the defence vyas raised that in the case of twin wheels an undue strain was placed on the tires on the meters, owing to the fact that only two machines are used. This argument, however, was proved to bo erroneous, experts stating that the static strain" on .-the tires rais-1 ed was no greater than the strain on any. of, tho tires when the lorry was travelling on an ordinary road surface. ; , ( : '-" Judgment -was given accordingly.