AUCKLAND AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 167, 16 July 1924, Page 3

AUCKLAND AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION.

AJOrrjAT. MEETING. J ! MOTORING INTERESTS DISCUSSED. " ; I The annual meeting of the Auckland Automobile Association was held last evening in the Chamber of Commerce Mr ,J. A. Warnock, vice-president presi'din-" The annual report showed the membership to be 1377, an increase of 4°7 over last year. This was largely due to the formation of new branches at Hamilton Whangarei and Huntly. all of which were doing good work. The city membership was now 10S2, and six new members were elected at the meeting. The balance sheet showed a credit of £238 for the year, while the accumulated funds stand at £1541. In moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, Mr. Warnock said they were waiting for a copy of the Motor Vehicles Bill, which was now before the Cabinet. It was expected to contain provisions of great interest to all motorists. and would require careful consideration! It was satisfactory to know that the Main Highways Board was getting well into its stride, ft-ml it was hoped that members would be able to make the run through to Wellington in comparative comfort hefore they went out of- office. The association was preparing a road map of the Auckland district which would be very useful, especially to visiting motorists and local residents who were not familiar with our country roads. During the year the usual outings had been given to various benevolent institutions, while runs had been held to St. Helier's Bay, where sports , were held, and to Cornwall Park, for the distribution of prizes won at the Muriwai race meeting. Dunng January tours, both north and south, were organised with success. Nearly 200 new road signs had been erected during the year, and they were now establishing a bureau of reliable information regarding all roads and routes. The matter of further increasing the city membership was also mentioned, Mr. Warnock statins that 1000 members was only a small proportion of those who owned cars, and every endeavour should be made to enlarge the activities of the association, one of the first requirements being a larger membership. The report and balance sheet were adopted without discussion, and the following officers elected :—President, Mr. J. A. Warnock; vice-presidents, Messrs. M. H. Wynyard, Geo. Henning and J. A. Gillett; committee, Messrs. H. C. Jones, H. Butcher, F. G. Farrell, R. E. Champtaloup, G. M. White, T. G. Julian, C. L. Mcintosh, J. B. King, A. Grayson and R. B. Spinks. Mr. E. G. Pinker was re-elected a-jditor and Mr. G. W. Hutchison secretary. A notice of motion by Mr. M. H. Wynyard to amend rules with the object of giving the association greater powers in the matter of holding motor races, exhibitions, etc., was carried without dissent. Mr. J. H. Bradney raised the question of a better system of controlling street traffic, especiaUy mentioning the top of Symonds Street. He also thought that buses and other vehicles should not stop opposite the safety zones. Mr. H. Butcher gave several interesting experiences in Sydney and Melbourne. The speaker said that safety zones were not allowed in Pitt Street, George Street, or Castlereagh Street, Sydney, while in several smaller streets the trafiic was only allowed one way between. 4.30 and 6.30 p.m. In Melbourne all motor vehicles had to keep four feet clear of the tram lines, and motorists were not allowed to drive through the safety zones as we did here. ; This, said Mr. Butcher, tended to further | hold up traffic, and several officials to I whom he mentioned the rule in Auckland gave it as their opinion that the Auckland rule was the better way, as it allowed the traffic to move quicker. Mr. H. C. Jones said he thought some of the funds of the association could be used to great advantage by a campaign of instruction as to traffic by-laws, and a uniform system of signs. He would like to see space taken in the daily Press for this purpose, the advertisements to be suitably illustrated. The growing width of motor buses was also touched on. Mr. Warnock moved a vote of thanks to the retiring president, Mr. W. Coltman. also to Mr. T. M. V. Morton, who acted as sports secretary at Muriwai. Mr. M. H. Wynyard gave a resume of the work done by the Main Highways Board up to the present, and was accorded a, hearty vote of thanks.