OVERLOADING

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 58, Issue 4227, 19 December 1949, Page 8

OVERLOADING

BAD EXAMPLE TRAILER SUGGESTED PLAINS COUNCIL’S POSITION “We are operating trucks carrying four cubic yards of metal with an axle load of 5 tons 14 cwt. The present axle loading is 4 tons 10 cwt. and the proposed new loading is 5 tons. While carting on our own roads we are exempt from these regulationsj at the tame time it is setting a bad example and there is at times considerable comment, particularly when a licensed carrier is caught for overloading,” stated a report by the county engineer, Mr E. Haseldine Barber, to the December meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council. “ To comply with the regulations we would have to reduce our loads to 3 cubic yards, which would add to our carting costs on all but the very short hauls. This question has given me much cause for thought and investigation during the past twelve months and I have come to the conclusion that by using a truck carrying 3 cubic yards and towing a trailer carrying 4 cubic yards we could overcome this difficulty and at the same time reduce our carting costs,” continued the report.

“ To build a trailer would cost approximately £5OO and I admit would be in the nature of an experiment, but I have no hesitation in recommending that this be tried out and ask authority to proceed with the building of one at once in order that it has fair trial before the estimates are brought down for next year. The reason for suggesting this now is if proved successful it would make a considerable alteration to our truck requirements and replacements next year,” the report concluded.

After some discussion the engineer was authorised to build a trailer.