PNEUMATIC WHEELS?

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1934, Page 9

PNEUMATIC WHEELS?

NOVEL SUGGESTION MADE USE ON FARMERS’ MILK CARTS. OVERCOMING LICENSE PROBLEMS A novel suggestion, which, if it does not overcome the problem of heavy traffic licenses for farmers’ milk trucks, does at least have a bearing upon the question, was made by an old South Island resident to a News reporter yesterday. The suggestion was that horsedrawn vehicles might well be equipped, as is done in some parts of the South Island, with old motor wheels and pneumatic tyres. He had been interested in the controversy regarding the justice or otherwise of farmers being required to pay such licenses on motor-trucks used solely on farm business, said the man, who is an old Greymouth resident, and had noticed one argument used in favour of nonpayment—that the use of rubber-tyred motor vehicles saved wear and tear on the road. The point had cropped up again in the report of a Hawera County Council discussion on Saturday. If farmers desired to possess motortrucks only for the purpose of preserving the roads that result could be achieved much more cheaply by adopting a custom used extensively in Westland, the equipment of horse-drawn vehicles with pneumatic-shod wheels off old motorcars. The effect was amusing to those unused to it, but the idea had proved valuable. Horse-drawn traffic was quieter, had little effect on the roads or vehicles, was less nerve-racking to both horse and passengers, and cost little more in upkeep. If Taranaki farmers were unsuccessful in avoiding the impost of the heavy traffic fee or were unable to afford a motor-truck in any case, they could protect their roads just as well by having their waggons pneumatically shod.