Overloading on Highways

Northland Age, Volume 7, Issue 12, 17 December 1937, Page 1

Overloading on Highways

Traffic Inspector’s Report to County Council Reporting to the Mangonui County Council on Wednesday, the inspector stated that 83 heavy traffic license fees had been collected for the quarter ended December 1. The Main Highways inspector had stopped all over loading on the main highways and loads must not exceed 4i tons. There were only a few trucks on the county which could carry two yards of gravel without overloading from 3 to 10 cwt. and he had weighed all cream lorries and two of the operators had to have special permits but after this season these permits would not be granted. Referring to metalling by the P.W.D. in the Far North, the report stated that in this part 5i tons had been allowed for metalling and the Council was asked what weight was to be allowed in future. The Carriers’ Views and Suggestions by Councillors Mr. P. Lambley, representing the transporters, waited on the Council and suggested that the Council endeavour to get permission from the Highways Board for the issue of licenses as formerly to carry more than two yards of metal on class 4 roads. Cr. Wrathall said that he could see no reason why a privilege enjoyed for a number of years should not be continued. He moved that they agree to the request as far as county metal was concerned. Mr. Lambley: The granting of the request will mean additional revenue to the council. The clerk : It would not be possible to differentiate between butter and metal, in any case the Council has no control over the State highways. Mr. MacKenzie : Whoever the Council permitted on roads under its control, carriers with more than 4J tons would be prosecuted if on a State highway. Special permits for an excess load could only be granted by Mr. Packwood. Mr. Lambley urged that a letter be written to the Main Highways Board pointing out how cares had risen and would be further affected by the load restriction. The chairman : We can write but 1 am afraid it won’t do much good. The council had been permitting loads which were too heavy on Class 5 roads. The engineer : If we allow trucks to carry two yards it would do less harm than if they are allowed to carry li yards. It was the number of trips and the speed that accounted chiefly for the damage and with the smaller load the speed would increase 30 percent. He though that 2 yards of metal was a reasonable load. Cr. Barriball : A-regulation to reduce speed would do more good than reducing a load. He had followed a truck doing 45 miles per hour. The chairman : We have a request from the Public Works Department for permission to use about one mile of the Takahue road as a class 4 road in order to obtain maintenance metal for the State highway between Mangamuka Saddle and Awanui, and we could agree to that providing the Highways Board will allow the regulation load to be exceeded on State highways. It was decided to write to the Highways Board urging that the privileges of the past be continued. The P.W.D. was granted permission to use a mile of the Takahue road as requested. Highway Board Traffic Inspector Speaks Mr. Treadgold, the Highway Board inspector, attended by invitation the meeting later and was asked to explain the position with regard to the refusal of the Highways Board to allow loads to be carried on State roads in excess of the classification. He told the Council that permits to carry excess loads had been granted for two cream trucks only and his duty was to see that the regulations are observed. He knew nothing about questions of policy.

Highway Board’s Pick-up Truck.— The Highway Board’s magnetic truck used for picking up nails and other bits of iron on the highways, was operating in this district during the week. Agricultural Instructor absent from district. The Agricultural Instructor, Mr. Moss, will be absent from this diistrict till February 1, on which date he will take up permanent residence in Kaitaia. Mr. Moss will be in charge of the Whangarei district during January, Mr. Granville being away on leave.

Tenders Accepted by County Council The following tenders were accepted by the Mangonui County Council on Wednesday : Metalling West’s road—S. A. Christensen, £225. Metalling Fisher’s road—Dan Urlich, £427. Metalling Foster’s road S. A. Christensen, £73 4/-. Metalling Sturmfel’s road —D. Kitchen, £252 8/-. Carting shale to Oruaiti road—S. Christensen, £271) 10/-. Metal to Pukepoto road—F. Curreen, £165. Shale to Fairburn road—S. Christensen, £247 10/-. Houses for Farm Labour Speaking at the Mangonui Rural Credit Association meeting, the district supervisor stated that it was realised that there was urgent need for the provision of finance to enable farmers to erect cottages for farm employees and this question 'aas receiving the attention of the Advances Corporation.