LARGE TRACTOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22769, 1 July 1937, Page 12

LARGE TRACTOR

JOURNEY TO TAUPO PENETRATING HEAVY BUSH A 15-ton tractor is shortly to commence a journey from Auckland into the afforestation country near Taupo. Yesterday the tractor, which is one of the largest of the crawler type of machine seen in New Zealand, was unloaded from the steamer Nardana and placed in a large railway truck for the first portion of its journey, which will bo by rail to Edgecumbe, near Whakatane. The nearest point by rail would bo Rotorua, but this route is not being used on account of load restrictions on the bridges on the Iloto-rua-Taupo highway. From Edgecumbe the tractor, with a heavy bulldozer, or grade builder, attached, will proceed over a few miles of highway and then will traverse littleused routes, where streams will have to bo forded and much rough country will have to be negotiated. As it nears the heart of the island, the tractor, with the bulldozer operating in front, may have to mako it.s own route through heavy bush, up hills, down gullies and across streams. A car will follow as far ns possible to take the crew back to lodgings each night/ The machine will bo employed in tho construction of firebreaks in the afforestation country near Taupo.