RECKLESS MOTOR DRIVING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XVIII, Issue 1859, 8 September 1923, Page 2

RECKLESS MOTOR DRIVING.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In your issue of August 30th, "Grateful Settler" writes complaining that I made a decidedly unfair statement at the last meeting of the Waitomo County Council re Derby Bros.' motor lorries overloading and overspeeding. What I did say at the County meeting was that in my district (not my riding) for a radius of ten miles many settlers using the road were complaining that the motor lorries are travelling too fast. "Grateful Settler" also states that there is not one of the settlers using the road that is complaining. He seems to imagine that the only settlers using the road in question are the few that live between Derby Bros.' mill and Kopaki. Now, this road is used by settlers from Mokauiti, Tangitu, Mapiu, Kaitangaweka, and surrounding districts, and I have had complaints from each of these places about the speed that the lorries attain when returning empty from Kopaki to Aratoro, especially on the Ara--toro Hill, where there are a lot of very sharp curves with high banks, and impossible in some places to see a chain ahead. In some places the road is narrow, and therefore awkward for a lorry and any other vehicle to pass, and most certainly dangerous at the speed that these lorries have been driven at tiffies in the past. As for overloading and damaging county roads, I would like to ask "Grateful Settler" if he knoAvs what he is writng about, or has he seen the road in question that I complained was damaged. This is the Kopaki East Road, where I was informed that Derby Bros, had taken 3000 feet of timber in two loads and had got stuck and had to unload. Now any man with common sense will know that when a lorry gets stuck it must necessarily do a certain amount of damage to the road, not only where it actually gets stuck but to the whole length travelled when heavily loaded during the winter months. Now, as the ratepayers' representative for the Te Kuiti Riding on the Waitomo County Council, I am doing my best to prevent overloading and over-speeding, and by so doing keeping down maintenance expenses. "Grateful Settler" had no need to rush into print about this matter, as at the Council meeting I only asked that a letter be sent to Derby Bros. asking them to abide by the Council's by-laws. As to the many favours done to settlers by Derby Bros., it is quite needless to tell me this. I have known Derby Bros, for over 20 years intimately and have always found them

the same—courteous and obliging, and always ready to go out of their way to do a good turn for anyone.. I also quite admit that the lorry drivers are excellent drivers, and I think would run any risk themselves rather than damage others, but on these sharp curves no matter how good the driver may be when travelling fast, the danger is still great. I explained all this at the Council table.

Whilst sitting at the Council table I intend to do my best for the riding generally, without fear or favour to anyone. If "Grateful Settler" wants proof of my statements, I can prove all I have stated, and trust that if replying to this letter that he will sign his name.

In reply to Mr A. Williams, I beg to tell him that most of his remarks are covered in my reply to "Grateful Settler." In any case, I don't think Mr Williams has been long enough in this district to understand the position thoroughly from the County Council's point of view, and it is not likely that lie is often driving and meeting the lorries on the Aratoro Hill, which is the most dangerous portion of the road. In conclusion, I would like to add that if Mr Williams can walk and keep up with the lorries, then I am sure he is wasting his time in Kopaki. —I am, etc., H. A. JULIAN.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Kindly allow me a small space in your well-known paper to pass a. few remarks re motor lorries and drivers on the Kopaki Road. During the last two and a-half years I can positively say that no carrier in this district has met the lorries as often as I have—on an average four or five times a week—and I have never had the least difficulty in passing. The drivers have often pulled up and backed lorries, sometimes a distance of five to ten chains, so as to get a decent place to pass, and have also shut off the benzine and led young horses past when breaking them in. I consider the drivers to be most capable of handling lorries in a most efficient manner, therefore 1 thoroughly endorse Mr Williams' remarks in a recent issue, and think it a bit far stretched for Cr Julian to remark that they are a menace on the road to all settlers and carriers of this district. In conclusion, I can positively say that the Kopaki Road was never in better order since it has been under Derby Bros.' care, and it is a pity there were not a few more mill-owners maintaining roads in the.same manner in this district.—l am, etc.,

F. TURNER, General Carrier