ROADS AND TRACTION ENGINES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 52

ROADS AND TRACTION ENGINES.

DRASTIC ACTION IN CLUTHA

At the mooting' of the Clutha County Council on Friday, Cr Begg moved—“ That the council resolve that no traction licenses be issued after this date 12 months, unless the damage at present being done to the roads ceases before that elute, and that in the meantime the council take proceedings to recover damages under sub-sections 9 and 10 of section 1, part V. of the bylaws, and that the surfacemen be asked for a monthly report of damage done to roads by traction engines.” The mover said that traction engines were responsible for threequarters of the damage clone to county roads, and the engineer estimated that the damage from this kind of traffic ran into thousands of pounds every year, fihe council derived but little recompense by the issue of licenses, while there seemed to be no control over the drivers. If the present state of affairs was allowed to- continue, the rates would have to be doubled in five years’ time. The damage caused by the engines could be minimised a good deal if the drivers wore judicious and careful in wet weather. At present the roads were simply being ruined, and the by-laws seemed to nave no effect whatever. At any rate, it would do no harm to warn the traction engine-owners that their licenses would be cancelled next year unless the damage to the roads was stepped in, the meantime. Action should be taken at once to recover for what damage had been done to the roads by careless driving*. He did not think it would be any great inconvenience to farmers if some of the engines were not allowed to travel. Most of the harm was cjpno by engines hauling chaff-cutting plants, and he considered that farmors’ teams or oil engines could more satisfactorily remove the chaff-cutting plants from farm to farm. The general ratepayer should not be made to suffer the way he was just because of the small convenience of traction engines being allowed on the roads. This was not a matter of now roads, but it affected the upkeep of old roads. Twenty years ago the roads were better than what they are now.

Cr Gumming, who seconded the motion, said ho thought that the council should have a report every month from the surfacemen in connection with the traction engine traffic throughout the county. Cr Steel supported the motion, and said that in his district (Clinton) the roads were ruined by traction engine traffic. Cr Overton said he thought that the motion was rather drastic if it was intended to stop engines from going on the roads altogether. If the _ by-laws wore more strictly enforced it might do- a lot of good.

Cr Edward? said that while the motion was rather drastic, ho thought it would have a good effect. Ho would not like to see locomotives prohibited altogether, but would liko to see the drivers compelled to treat the roads with some respect.

Cr Bogg said that a remark had been made that the by-laws should be more strictly enforced, but he would point out that by-laws wore absolutely useless, because magistrates seldom convicted in those cases, and it w-as almost impossible to got conclusive evidence. The only way to stop the roads from being ruined was to frighten the drivers.

The motion was then carried, and it was decided to ask the surfacemen to supply monthly reports concerning traction engine traffic in their districts.