HEAVY TRAFFIC BILL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13713, 30 September 1908, Page 7

HEAVY TRAFFIC BILL.

SOME~DRAsSePROPOSALS: MB ANSTEY'S CRITICISM.

tl» 3 , liopes to Sbs this session, defines heavy traific as iWows :—W The transportation of any vehicle which itself, or together with it* load,? weighs more than one ton-f-jind abalfpto each pair of wheels; (b) the traction of any vehicle by means of bullockjjh; (c) the transportation. during the - moiSks from jMay to, September , iinclusiveE: of any vehicle with "or without any thereon which requires more than six Jinimals at a time to draw it along Clause 4 provides that in tiie fcase of Government roads and bridges the Minister is to have the powers ot a localis authority. f Clause 5 provides that* in cases where a vehicle is to be used in two or more districts the license is to: be issued! by the Uovffnor. Ttgb procedure is as follows: —(1) Where the f&wner desires. to use his vehicle in twokbr more .districts in which Part 11 of Iftis act force, whether wholly or partially, he may lodge an applicarion||afc a magistrate's court within one of t§K>se districts (and if there is no such couiS£ within any- such district, then in a coudj adjacent bhereto) for a license to vseMhat vehicle within such districts and upooF feodt roads as are specified in the apjMcatioii. 'J be magistrate, after following the procedure laid down, shall dec me whether or not the application is to |h granted, and what license fee is to bfc pttid, iud ha may issue a license accordingly jo'a [pijmeihi; ioi'■ such: license fee,§or may issue the license subject to* such, conditions as he thinks fit, or may x«ft& the application. The fees are to be Hpt»Kioived amongst. the local bodies bv the magistrate. There are penalties iarJftocK . . 4 I ' firt 11, which"relates to the licensing J ' of vehicles, that . owner of j_ Vehicle before "using same lor heavy traffic shall apply to the local authority for a, license giving the weight and description of Ike vehicles, the road on which it k j to jfe used, ami the weight, intended to | be parried. The local authority is enmled to consider whether tbe road, brid- j culverts to which the applK.au- j nonisolates are sufficiently strong to stand tbe|traffic,and grant the license subject j to certam -Specified conditions. It may, for grant the license subject to its fjwing suspended in wet weather or bd4t limited to certain months in the ; yeaiq if thought fit-. Security for likely j jlai&ge to roads may be demanded by j are^entitleii 1 ehai'ge certain fees- and iiSM licenses for a fixed term or for a fixes ruui for each time tbe .vehicle- uses theifhxuf. Kvery vehicle used for heavy trafßfc must be licensed, and drivers mm>t havp^ the licenses in their immediate per- j 4onu possession. Tbe issue of a license not the licensee from liability Driver* are j to driving in ruf-s in a road. Bullocks are not to lw used ipr heavy traffic j work during May, June, Ajigust, ( and September without the pernlisswu of the local authority. "Hie; bill also contains strict provisions for the regulation of engine traffic. License fee» are fixed a.i follows: Two-wheeled vehicles —Tyre* 2£in wide and vender Sin, £lO yearly; same, 3in wide knd under 4in, £7 10s; same, 4in tyres and not exceeding Sin, £6 yearly ; tame > having tiros exceding sm, £5. Four-wheeled vehicles—Tyres 2|m wide and linder "yearly ? .tam*, 3in ! wide *aod under 4in, £ls; same, with tires ,4in wide and under 6i«, £lO. j Tim' wecund schedule to the bill gives . an estimate «f the bulk weight of certain guods, and tbe third schedule sets out I th# rnmrimnm |oad tl)afc a&y veliicle may carrj", ''m toOqirf; vehicles —Width, of tytea. 2iia« uwxintuia toad 3 ; tons; 3wi v 3J^SJin,-4 tons; 4iu, fiiiir SJ ton*; s>Jin, 6 tonf; tonsf 6Jin, 7 tons; 7Sn, j 71 t<mi- 8| ton*; 9in, 94 tons. Two-wheels V«hfcl<*—2{in. 1J ton; 3in, j 1J ton; 2j too* t Sin. 21 toia,: siin. 3 tons: 6in, 31 tons. Xo vehicle having ijre* less than. 2jit« shall carry s-i-y greater Josd than half a ton. 'lhe iijlit of is limittd « 15 f»n«, unless >i«-tul!v authori-eil. DISCUSSION IX THK t'OlNflL. The Hill hati a rather mifavooraWe reception in tin' Council. lhe Auorn<-y----f>e(«-rai. in moving tin- mh>4i<l said the local bo«lie> had had great diffknlty in pr*4«-cting their rua«k agam*! damage from heavy traffic. ; Their by laws on the subject had in some cams b.«n <letlared bj- the .Supreme Court t<» b* ultra vtrts. hence Part 11. of the Hill was in tbr nature of a model by bw. The Bill al*o dealt with the oa.«* of vehiiU.r»ed for heavy traffic in morv- than one d*.:rict. At prenen: the local authority of each district ihargt-d a rrparate ft. i»nd the re«ult v\t* that w>nie «»f tin* •»vner« w»-re in dajigi-r »f being driven •ittf* ot btnuneiLo. UiMhr th-? Hill an '»f Vehiclm could a pT«>{wr license J«> fixed, ar<d the locar bodies by a magi*^rate. Tlie Hull. J K. •Iriikiiitx>ii uiil lie w.u» surprs%e«i at w> a B>U Ix-ing >n'n> ducrd 6«> l.lt«« in tin* Il »lli.uiil be referred to a Comtuitt*-*-. Tlie lion. J. Anstey »ritui«e»l tin* IM! rather oevetvly. He *aid that fl»*- average farm dray loaded weighed Sj t"»s. ami wuald thetefure come under •{l* Bill, jith« detinrti«>n of ln-avy trai. s 'c lix J'i<J* <1 any Vehicle weighing, with or without load, more than a t«»n and a half to each |>air of wh«-e!'. XoW. tlie-hxal In-i.tr, did not want to int«rf«-re with ordinaryfarm traffic. They only wulivd u* Ik* able to deal with traction etigims, N<xd ,

waggons, and the like. "One ton and. a half," exclaimed Sir Anstey, "why, you can get that t into a„ buggy sometimes."' Difficulty might arise in the case of adjoining local bodies not all adopting the Act; - and he thought the provisions, though permissive, might be worked very harshly owing to enabled to charge' higher fees than those scheduled. The maximum should be fixed in regard to die apportionment of sjicense fees between local bodies. He aromsidered that the provision was cliimsy,; and the end in view could be effected by;, mutual agreement, with a reference to the; magistrate if agreement was not* arrived at. Some of the ..clauses sfruck him as alxsurd. ; For instabce, it appeared that-, ewry vehicle down to a wheelbarrow' must be licensed and numbered. Therievery vehicle must keep to the left band; side of the road, even when not passing: another vehicle. The clause providing* that a Vehicle standing on a road between sunset and sunrise should be lighted, was not required. There was no need for, ordinary farm drays to bs licensed anil pay a fee, which might be £lO, more ur less, as the local body decided. Mr Anstey also criticised soma of the detail? -ot rtbe schedules. : The maximum;load for two-Wheeled vehicles with: 2|in lyies wa» one ton and a half, but that was abouthalf what wi>6 usually carried. He would like to see a Bill passed to remove tlie present hardships, but if this Bill wis to be passed it would require to be shorn of many excrestcences. i The Hon. C. Loukson said the Bill appeared to apply to other than heavy traffic,- and to ci.its ami boroughs as well as the country districts. It was, therefore, to a large extent unnecessary. The Hon. ,K. A. Loughnan said'the Bit: seeuit-d to go back to the barbarous days of the turnpike. ; ;

The Hon. Mr McCardle: Tlie fairest Oiiugs on earth. [- '1 Ue hou. T. Kelly said that not a. single local body in 'laranaki would adopt tbe Bill ai it stood.

The Hon. A. Baldey said the Bill should be circulated among the local bodies before being proceeded with. If jitssed as' 11 'stood "it Mould arouse a ho\ri of indignation throughout tht countty. Tlve Hon. ti. Jones said the opinions of people carrying on heavy traific lor hire rfhonld be tis&ed for us well ss those of (lie local bodies. He hoped tbe Attorney.jeneral would see that the Bill was not acceptable to the Cowicii, and would be consent to jiani only clause 5 (ap{x>rtioument of license fees).

The Hon. , J l r said 'he hoped - thatr clause sat anyrate would be pas>ed. • The Attorney-General said that the Biii was evidently the subject of iiiSMipprehe-a-sion. Members had bad very lit tie time to study it. He objected to ".Mr AEStey's suggesvion that somebody interested "in : aunage iampi' had been "at the back <jt one cmu>e, and his stateuK-nt that another clause iho wed crijs ignui .iiitr. "j >tioutU lh»d it ea*-»r to dccvjtt the hon. gentleman's suggestions,' sinj I Jr. t'miliuv, "u Ik* uoulu couch them in language a little lejjs ungraciot's." Connnuu.g, tiie torney-Ueneral j>ointed out tliat local authorities need not adopt- the whole or l >r but unly a* much as they thought fit. lhe Bin, unoer tin name of the Model By-laws Bill, was submitted to tlie local bodies tuo vrais [ ago. < -Tlie principal by-laws of "local j bodies were taken, and a of tlieiii was made and put into the form of leg*>tatjve cl«tnke?i. He had no wkdi to force the" Bill on the Council, and would more to have it referred to the appropriate Committee. The Bill was read a second time, and j referred to the Stock Committee.