FARMERS’ LORRIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 July 1939, Page 9

FARMERS’ LORRIES

I AND HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES THE EXEMPTION PROPOSAL. NO ACTION BY FEATHERSTON COUNTY. (“Times-Age” Special.) “This council considers that the difficulties created would be greater than the relief obtained,” was a resolution passed at yesterday’s meeting of the Featherston County Council, with respect to the remission of heavy traffic fees on farmers motor-lorries carting milk to factories. The question arose when a letter was read from the Wairarapa South County Council advising that the Wairarapa branch of the National Dairy Federation had requested that farmers’ lorries conveying milk to factories should be exempted from heavy traffic fees. The Wairarapa South County was favourably disposed towards granting the request and to extending the same privilege to farmers’ lorries generally realising, however, that action along these lines could not legally be taken without an amendment to . the Heavy Motor Vehicle Regulations. Meanwhile the county was endeavouring to ascertain whether other county councils' in the Wairarapa favoured or opposed the request for exemption of farmers lorries conveying milk to factories or exempting farmers lorries generally. The chairman (Mr A. B. Martin): "This matter has been thrashed out before. I would be in favour of exempting lorries only when carting milk to and from the factory. If the lorries were exempted altogether, it would mean that the farmer, who does not earn his living on the road, would be competing with men who were. Councillor L. J. Thompon: “All farmers’ lorries should be exempt.” The chairman: "But what about the general carriers? The farmer would then be able to compete with them, and would be paying no heavy traffic fee. A farmer would say he was carrying his own goods, and all the time he would have a load on for his next-door neighbour.” Councillor R. W. Matthews: “Yes this matter is full of difficulties. Where would one draw the line?” The discussion then lapsed.