HEAVY WHEEL TRAFFIC

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3294, 12 August 1911, Page 2

HEAVY WHEEL TRAFFIC

DEPUTATION TO COUNTY COUNCIL.

As the result of a. meeting held at Waerenga-a-hika held on Wednesday evening, a deputation of ratepayers of the' Gisborne riding waited on the Cook County Council regarding ihe heavy traffic by-law which it was proposed to bring into operuti n. Mr. Cameron, who headed the deputation, pointed out that the by-law would act very harshly on farmers, for if they would only be able to carry 30 cwt on two wheels vehicle included and double on four wheels. The Chairman: The statute fixes the weight at 30cwt, and we cannot alter that.

Mr. Cameron pointed out that it was thought that the Council must either pass the by-law in its entirely or not ait all. The Chairman: I want you to understand that the Council, does not want to oppress or harass the settlers. This by-law is designed to help you. The roads, are made impassable by heavy traffic, but if ratepayers are willing to allow the damage to ■continue and provide the rates necessary to repair the roads the Council would not force the matter. With regard to the Gisborne riding, I do not see any excessive damage to the roads, and if that riding wished to be exempt it would be his duty, as representative of that riding, to try and get that exemption. Mr. Cameron said they sympathised with the Council in their endeavor to regulate heavy traffic, but the by-law wanted to be reasonable. The Chairman pointed out that underthe Public Wrks Act some relief could be obtained. The Council were allowed to fix the weight of the various articles, suffii as timber, agricultural produce, minerals etc., to be carried on the roads. He preferred the other plan, that was to bring the by-law into force in such ridings* in which the roads were damaged. The roads in some of the ridings were being cut up by the cartage of pipes. Mr. Witters said that he had never seen the main road from Ormond to the borough boundary in such a good state for this time of year. The by-law, they contended, would be a hardship on the farmers and carters generally if passed. He pointed out that carters, instead of (retting £1 a day as at present, would, under the new by-law, only earn about 6s, because their loads would be considerably smaller. It meant that the i armors would he unable to compete with outside producers. Lor instance, clialt would be put on the market from Canterbury at a much cheaper rate than it could be produced here. The Chairman said they anight presume the Gisborne riding would not be included. Mr. Cam-cron, wanted to know it the moving of an engine and threshing, mill would be included under the* by-law. The Chairman, said that the occasional shifting of an engine would not come within the by-law. Cr. Holden pointed out that the Council, was trying to assist the ratepayers and farmers by seeing that the roads wore not broken up. The deputation, then withdrew. The Council later decided to allow the matter of the by-law to stand over till next meeting.