TRACTION ENGINES AND ROAD MAINTENANCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LII, Issue 5166, 12 June 1891, Page 4

TRACTION ENGINES AND ROAD MAINTENANCE.

The following from the Cbristohurch Press will be of interest to South Canterbury road boards and county council! : — f Xbe Railway Oommisiioneri have often been threatened with the competition of traction road engine*, which are mucb used m Canterbury and Otago, bat they disregarded thif, beiD« aware that those engines if much used must damage the roads to greatly as to involve a heavy rate being levied on them. This was disputed, it being contended that so far from damaging the roads the pressure of the traction engine! tend to consolidate, and no to improve the thoroughfare!. However, the C'ommusioner* have just received information of a dircussion on the subject which recently took place at a meeting of the Institute of Civil Engineers, when Mr H- McLaren, brother of McLaran, whose en gines are working m Canterbury and Otago, described the operations m regard to wool carrying m Sew Zealand with these engines. Home speakers spoke m the strongest terms of damage done to the roads by traction engines, and of tbe excessive additional cost of maintenance involved m tbeir use being permitted. Mr MoLaren virtually admitted tbis, and that owners or users of traction engines ought to pay a substantial fee for permission to run them owing to the injury they .Caused to the remds. These expremiuns of exp«rte concerned m the manufacture and working of traction engines must be of grant interest to local bodies, upon whom rests tho burden o( maintaining the roads.