MACHINERY ADVOCATED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 8, 8 December 1936, Page 6

MACHINERY ADVOCATED.

CLEANING OF DRAINS. Stating that times had changed, and urging that any work undertaken should be pushed ahead, Mr R. Tanner advocated, at the monthly meeting of the Manawatu Drainage Board yesterday, the further mechanisation of the board's work. Since the board had commenced operations with a tractor and drag-line in clciiring Burke's drain (it had been in use for 50 working days), 11 chains of the drain had been dealt with, he said. The earth was being moved at a cost of 4d a yard in actual expenditure, and in order to arrive at a true cost Id a yard could be added, making it 5d a yard. He could not visualise any other way of doing the work more, cheaply than that, and what was being accomplished was a revelation. An excellent job was being made of the work.

However, proceeded the speaker, only eleven chains had so far been finished. How long would it take to complete two or three miles? There were miles and miles of drains which would have to be dealt with by the machine to make a really satisfactory job of them, and the members would easily visualise that it would take some time to do all that with the scoop going forward and br.ck pulling a third of a yard of earth out at each trip. What the board should have done was to have bought an even bigger tractor, and they should also have a second one working. "We are too conservative," said Mr Tanner. "We say we cannot spend money on this and on that. The tractor is doing the work now at that price and we should spend the money and put the drains in order. Say the tractor and plant cost £l2oo—how much would that be to each ratepayer in the form of a loan spread over the whole area? It would be only a few pounds. Why should we pay now all the cost of work that will benefit posterity ? We should po into it. and make a job of it. We must give an outlet lower down and must keep that outlet open." Members of the board commented briefly on Mr Tanner's remarks and the chairman (Mr P. G. Mildon) advanced the suggestion that the board withhold any discussion until a later meeting. - In the meantime they would "just carry on" with the present plant. Next year the suggestion could be discussed. There would be many matters to be thought of then. Mr W. E. Thomas: It might be amalgamation. The chairman: Yes. It might even be that. The discussion was not carried further.