HORSES v. LORRIES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 18 September 1926, Page 15

HORSES v. LORRIES.

Reasonable and careful students of transport problems have never doubted that the horse has its sphere in shortratlins transport, where collection and delivery involve numerous and lengthy waits. Occasional attempts to replace horses by motor vehicles have admittedly resulted in an increase of expenditure not altogether justified by the advantages obtained, and reversion to the horse has followed, but even in these cases it could often be shown, if an expert examination of all the circumstances were made, that more than one factor could be blamed for the failure, so called, of the motor vehicle. The selection of an unsuitable type of vehicle,' perhaps an ill-advised choice of model, inexpert employment of the vehicle, unskilful methods of maintenance, the use of cheap oils and other materials —they will all, individually and collectively, serve adversely to affect the cost-sheet by materially reducing the motor's efficiency. Where none of the defective methods here mentioned lias been allowed to enter, the motor vehicle will often hold its own, despite the evidence of a slightly higher cost of transport brought about by the inability of a business to get the best out of a fleet of motors. In England, the railway companies and the parcels delivery concerns are steadily increasing their fleets of motor veMcles, although by the very nature of their operations their work of collecting and delivering is conducted at a short radius from the depot, and their horses are diminishing. The avoidable use of the horse imposes a burden on the community by its effect in reducing traffic speed, by tlje soiling of the streets, necessitating the employment of sweepers, by the uncleanliness of stables affecting the general health and reducing the value of the neighbourhood property. Again, the horsed vehicle does not, by direct taxation, contribute its fair share to the' cost of road maintenance; so th!at, on the whole, the com-, munity is asked to pay dearly in loss and delay . and in , virtual subsidy to owners ox horsed vehicles. It is satisfactory, therefore, to know that, instead of a return to the horse having to bo recorded, .the fact is that the horse population is definitely falling off.