COSTS OF COUNCIL’S LORRIES

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1930, Page 11

COSTS OF COUNCIL’S LORRIES

EXPENSES AT NEW PLYMOUTH REPLY TO RECENT CRITICISM. “I did not like them, but at the time I was not in a position to refute them, said Mr. J. Brown at the meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council last, night when referring to some remarks about the running costs Of the council’s lorries by Mr. P. E. Stainton during the committee period of the council’s last meeting. Mr. Brown produced statistics relating to the running of these vehicles. He pointed out that one of the big lorries had been operating 11 years and w as still working well, though it had been written off in depreciation some time a"o and was now some hundredfl of pounds to the good. The running cost per hour was 9s 10.5 d, including depreciation allowances, . whereas private owners in town charged 14s to; 15» an hour. Another lorry that had beeii running ten years had also had moro than its purchase price set aside for depreciation and yet was performing well at a cost of Cs 7.9 d per hour plus 2s fid an hour for depreciation. The waterworks lorry, purchased in 1928, had covered 22,900 miles. The depreciation per hour was set down at 4d and the cost per mile at 4.56 d. Th© foreman’s car, bought in 1927, had. covered 32,000 miles at a cost per mile of 3.8 d; it had done remarkably well. Mr. Brown contended the figures showed 'these vehicles had not been costly to run, though he had understood Mr. Stainton to say it was costing more to run the lorries than, it would have for the work to be carried through other channels. Mr. Stainton said he had not mentioned anything about the big lorries. He had referred simply to the waterworks lorry. .. .He maintained capital cost had to be taken into consideration in matters of this kind. The big lorries were a credit to the men who drove them, -The council was extremely fortunate in having eueh men in charge. The waterworks lorry and the foreman’? car did not bear favourable comparison. He suggested the car should not bo used for carrying picks and shovels to various undertakings about the borough. Mr. Brown said he could not believe it would be economical to carry workmen’s tools from one end of the town* to the other in one of the big lorries. The engineer (Mr. C. Clarke) said the trouble was that the foreman had-. a five-seater ear, whereas he should have a two-seater with a small truck superstructure at the. back. The subject was not pursued further.