MOTOR TRAFFIC.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 134, 6 June 1919, Page 6

MOTOR TRAFFIC.

I PATROL OFFICER APPOINTED. f ANNUAL REOISTRATIDX I SIXSCETED. Gradually tlii> Wellington City Council : is realising that motor traffic.' which is - increasing by leaps and bounds, demands more attention than has been given it in the past- The council, on the roconi- ' niendation of tho motor inspector (Mr. L.. ; S. Drake) recently consented to the < appointment of Mr. F. \V. MrCourcie (a i motor expert) a< the counc'Ts patrol ; officer. an,l. nttired in a neat uniform, Mr. MeCourtie is already attending to nia new duties. Those duties are manifold. ] For example he will take note of the "epeed-hog," tako tlie number of the J offending car, ami either warn the ] offender personally or take action. The A patrol officer will'alao see that the car and taxi numbers are right, that taxie plying for hire are 'fitted for such work, that the stands are kept clean, and that ' no preventable offences are committed ■ by car-drivera. The extra supervision will extend to the city trafiie generally. At present the City Council subsidises the Police Department, and in return pointsmen aiv On duty at Winder's Corner, the •■Albert" Corner, and Stewart Dawson's Corner, directing the traffic, as far us the right-of-way is concerned, but further than that the police did nothing save in case of an accident- Mr. Drake's idea is that every police constable in the country should be a traffic inspector, and take action where there is leg-itimate c;uir<> to do so. Mr. Drake has a very complete card system of the owners, and drivers of all . motor-care, lorries, wagons, and cycles. ' Not only that, but in thp case of the j drivers there is a list, giving ail particulars of tho person, any charges which have been brought against "him. and what the result ivas so that there is a complete record, so far as his work in Wellington is concerned, of each driver on the register. There are also kept complete lists of the care, lorries, wagons, and cycles, and their numbers, in order that any car may be identified in case of necessity. For the future all new owners must register t'liemselves us the owner of the car immediately on taking possession of each car. and tlio-e disposing of their cars should notify the office of the motor inspector, so as to assist in keening a clean ' register—which is in the common in- ' terest of the community generally. ! A KN'U A L R Bγ; ISTK ATI OX ADVOCATED. The motor inspector (Mr. Drake) is a ' I strong supporter of the annual regßtraj tion of all motor vehicle*, on English lines. Here the registration fee is 10/ (laid down by statute), and' it is for all time. At Home the registration fee is £1. and after that there is an annual tax according to the horse-power of the car. The amount raised by eucti taxation is paid into a Central Road Hoard, which released the inonev in proportion to the amount received from ".ach district to the proper authorities, solely for expenditure on the roads. The result of this war? good roids—roads of a kind that all the world talked of.