HEAVY TRAFFIC BY-LAW

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7024, 12 January 1910, Page 3

HEAVY TRAFFIC BY-LAW

SAWMILLERS AND THE HUTT COUNTY. DEPUTATION OF PROTEST. NO REDRESS. A deputation from tho Upper Hntt Sa'.vmillers’ Association, consisting of -Messrs C. T. Price, W. Strand, JI. Ilaigent and G. Smith, waited upon the Ilutt County Council yesterday in [regard to the heavy traffic by-law. Jlr Price said the sawmillers had been singled out for taxation and wore obliged to pay £25 a year for tho right of carting timber on the county roads, while nobody else was colled upon to pay a penny. As a matter of fact he did not flunk all tho millers had paid the tax, but a good many of them had. The timber trade was very slack at tho present time, and instead of the mills putting out 100,000 foot a month only about half that quantity was carted, because timber was not selling. The waggons were running short hours and the roads therefore were not being used nearly so much as they would bo under ordinary circumstances. Tho council might very easily reduce the tax to £ls a year. They recognised that the Waggons did a certain amount of damage, hut they did not cause all the damage which occurred on the roads. One miller had only run for two days a week during the last four or five months. To ask for tho payment of £25 a year under such circumstances was asking for a very large sum indeed. The price of timber had dropped Is Cd a hundred. At tho same time wages had not been reduced. This fact made a good deal of (difference to the millers. Ho knew tho county was hard up and ho supposed that would bo 'the case until tho end of time. HEAVY UPKEEP. The chairman (Jlr J. Whiteman): That is tho ratepayers’ fault. They (want the rates kept down and then [there is no money available. Tho road expenses wore very heavy and a Jot of- money had been spent in upkeep during the last five or six years. Jlr Price admitted that tho roads were in a better condition now than ever before. The millers would not have asked for a reduction if the Ipriee of timber was Is Gd higher. The chairman: Oh, yes, you Would (just the same. (Laughter.) Hb pointzed out that tho miller had, bee’n agitating in the same way for the last four or five, years. In reply to a question, Jlr Atkinson, /the county olerk, stated that fresh bydaws would have to be passed if the reduction was agreed to. A desultory discussion then took place, during tho course of which it was (pointed out that the county’s , traffic wridges were feeling the strain of the heavy traffic very badly. Olio councillor remarked that the millers should (put an extra -stringer in some of the bridges they used. | GRADUATED WHEEL TAX. Councillor Welch advocated the introduction of a graduated wheel tax. Such a system would be fairer than the present vogue, as it would ensure payment by all users' of tho roads. He had always been opposed to the saw'millora’ payment of £25, but they could not get away from the by-laws, Which would have to bo amended in brder to grant tho request. People (made a living on the roads and had hot to pay a penny, while the millers swore saddled with the whole cost. {Motor oars did more damage than any other vehicle and they only ran for pleasure or “sport.” Chinamen also (used tho roads and never paid a ■penny. Tho chairman said that the rates /would not be so high in tho county if there were no sawmiliers. ENFORCING THE LAW. After thit deputation had withdrawn a resolution, moved by Council, lor Galloway and seconded by Councillor Edwards, was carried, to the effect that the fee of £25 be retained and that the by-law bo enforced. THE ENGINEER’S REPORT. Apropos the same matter the county’s inspector of works, Mr J. W. OudJby, reported that he had made a searching inspection of the Akatara-wa truss bridges—the one spanning the lAkatarawa river and the one over the Hutt. In tho first-named there were eleven pieces to bo renewed and fourteen in the other bridge; but none of fblio pieces was of a large size. Several of them being in the centre of the spans, which were 82ft, made the work difficult. About 950 ft of ironbark tim. Jber would be required to replace all [fche ■ faulty stuff. The work was [urgent and should be proceeded with at once. Other matters with rofertenco to the same bridges were (1) Riding and driving over the (bridges at other than a walking pace should he prohibited. (2) A limit should be put on all loads crossing the bridges. “At the present time," he continued, “the timber waggons are fetching upwards of 8000 ft of green timber, which together with tho waggon and horses is about -11 tons weight. Now, considering it is about thirty years since those bridges were built, the spans being ,82ft and all of tota-ra. I think some restriction should bo placed on. people engaged in heavy traffic. Tho limit ten years ago was six tons. I would suggest that no person bo allowed to cross those bridges with more than 2000 ft of timber which together with waggon jand horses is equal to 8 tons, and X would ask you to fix a limit to-day so fchat it might at once be enforced. Tho report was adopted.