HUNTERVILLE NEWS CLASSIFICATION OF ROADS DRAWS PROTESTS

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 September 1950, Page 3

HUNTERVILLE NEWS CLASSIFICATION OF ROADS DRAWS PROTESTS

HUNTERVILLE, Last Night (0.C.) —“That a very definite protest be lodged with the Minister that the roads of our county be not classified.’’ This resolution was moved by Mr. E H. Duncan and seconded by Mr. K Hammond and unanimously agreed to at a meeting of the Hunterville branch of Federated Farmers, held at Hunterville. The meeting was called to consider the question of classification of the roads and the new valuations. The chairman of the Rangitikei County Council, Mr. K. W. Dalrymple, the member for the riding, Mr. C. Chisholm, and the county engineer, Mr. H. Murray Reid, were also present. The chairman of the Hunterville branch of Federated Farmers, Mr. J. Leslie Lambert, after extending a welcome to the visitors and briefly out- ; lining the purpose of the meeting Mr. K. W. Dalrymple said he was a ratepayer and it is a big question the farmers are tackling with regard to road classification. “We live off the land and we have to give access to all the land we can. The main problem is that of carrying industrial products. The classification of roads is an engineering question which I will leave to Mr. Reid to deal with, but Mr Hansen has said that the country roads are being smashed to pieces by weight and speed. Mr. K. Hammond asked if it were the policy of the county or the Government to reclassify the roads? Mr. H. Murray Reid: “The Government has brought down a regulation which says that county council's shall classify their roads. The Hawke’s Bay County Council has refused to reclassify. It is general policy to protect the roads by reclassification, and as the road's are improved the classification will be lifted. I know that it is a very nasty bone of contention, but I am a servant of the county and I would be failing in my duty if I did not draw the attention of the county to the state of the roads. One important point is that the design of roads and the repair o f roads have not kept pace with the design in transport. There are more articulated vehicles coming Or the roads now, which is the ideal thing as far as we are concerned.” Mr. E. H. Duncan: “I would like Mr. Reid to tell us what is the definite advantage of classification. Classification has now come in, but as far as I can see it is a theoretical term. What advantage will we get out of it?” Mr. Reid: “The amount of meta 1 necessary before we can seal makes sealing impossible, and with the roads as they are now we have potholes in the winter and corrugations in th- 2 summer and dropouts in the wet weather. There is only one thing for it and that is to reduce the amount o' the lo°ds.” Mr. F. J. Butement: “Are our loads getting heavier?” Mr. Hill: “They are not getting anj heavier.” Mr. Duncan: “Mr. Dalrymple said that the Government wants us Jo solve our own problems. That is the answer to this ouestion. You are classifying the roads because it is a Government thins. We farmers know our roads better than anyone else and we ought to be able to classify our own roads. Th.? roads we travel on today are better than ever before and why should we be cut down on our loads?” Mr Dairymole. “It is for the heavier lorries and the Transport Department makes provision for this.” Mr Hill: “The lorries arc no heavier tod~v than thev were 30 years aero.” Mr. Hill explained the limits which would be imposed on the carrying o f loads under the pronosed classification. On a Class 2 road, with a total load allowance of eight tons, a twoaxle truck would be allowed to carry approximately 120 fat lambs (weight, 4 tons, plus 1 ton for cra tr> ' 25 bales of wool or five tons of 'mure or general goods. “That is round about the loads we have been carting on these roads for the past 16 years.” said Mr. Hill. “Mr. Reid said that the weights of the vehicles have gone up, but I can prove that they have gone down.” Mr. Hill then explained that the same truck on a Class 3 road with a total load allowance of six and a-half tons, would onlv be allowed to carry 75 fat lambs (weight. 2i tons, plus 1 ton for crate), 18 bales of wool, or 35 tons of manure or general goods. “Thn county seems to think that Class 3 wou’d be suitable for about nere,” commented Mr. Hill. Mr. Hill also explained that the same truck on a Class 4 road, with a total road allowance of five tons, would only be allowed to carry 35 fat lambs (weight, 1 ton, plus 1 ton for crate). 11 bales of wool or two ton’s of manure or general goods. Mr. Reid said that Class 4 was only if necessary in tho winter months. Mr. Reid said the county intended to protect the roads by restricting th heavy loads. It would mean les maintenance and prevent heavy damage.” Mr. Hammond asked the riding member to fight tooth and nai l against the proposed classification, for it was all wrong. Mr. C. Chisholm: “I will do my best, but if anv of you can do better I invite vo” to have a go.” “If the countv can make n better case than the obiectors, then the M’ni’ster will be guided by it,” said Mr. Hilf Mr. B. Drvden: “If thev carry out the pronosed classification ran the’ r give us the assurance that they wifi not nut them on still further in 12 months’ time? I ask this because T think that the countv is seekin" an easv wav out of a very bi" problem. Better maintenance is needed. It is Ihe water flowing over the roads that does the damage as metal gets washed away. Is the county properly mechanised ?” M’\ Reid: “Nothing would nleasp mn better than to have more machinery, and as far as the countv is concerned, we are making good progress in that direction.’’ After further discussion the resolution quoted above was passed. UNITED NATIONS APPEAL Mr. T. Thompson, town clerk at Hunterville, and ihn local collectin'-' agent for the United Nations Anneal for Children, said yesterday that the Hunterville collection has now reached £1.14. As the an n e?l h n s been ex tended until the end of thU mont 1 " 1 there will he an opportunity *nr thos n who stPI intend makin" a contribution 1° this worthy appeal.