THE BIGGEST "PARK" IN AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1925, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE BIGGEST "PARK" IN AUCKLAND.

Stages of organisation in protecting their S interests and -in making motoring more enjoyable. Growing rapidly, the A.A.A. ,is the first North Island Association to open independent offices, with a perfc ■ manent staff. It now has a fine suite, j? consisting of reading room, general S , office, and meeting room situated on the }}> .ground floor of the Premier Buildings S in Durham Street East, and is indeed a > credit to any tody. t- ■ j? Membership Increases 100 per cent. ft Promoted by a desire to lessen the r» disparity -between the association membership list and the number, of car iit rc S' st rations in Auckland City, a menibership "drive"' or campaign was IfM * B,VX >cbed last November. Members iri wor k e d enthusiastically and their com- ▼ j bined efforts showed just what organisaTKh tion could do. Starting the 1925 season \H{ with a roll of a little over 1300. to-day y& the membership has almost doubled, Yj 2500 being the present total. This is a Ifi truly remarkable achievement, and the XJ success of the-campaign, .which imposed a tremendous amount of extra work Xi was largely due to the untiring efforts of the acting secretary, Mr. H. T. Cameron. jf Tourists' Concessions. CX During tbe year the hotel concession jr. scheme was inaugurated, and lists were Tjt compiled and .circulated. giving the hotels receiving the association's official recognition. This has proved a boon to touring members, the saving in even a short tour being a.considerable LX one. At the outset hotel proprietors V -were very lukewarm, but now are fit entering into the proposition whole* heartedly and are thus benefiting themr\ selves as well as the association.

W. Hutchison, immediately wired : Ho the Minister and the Commissioner of Police in Wellington, asking that the prosecutions be withdrawn and due consideration given to the fact that the by-law be allowed to stand. The Commissioner replied courteously that no action would be taken provided the by-law was not violated. However, an A.A.A. member was summonsed for leaving his car "in "Queen Street near the site, of the proposed Civic Square. The police held the car was not under the glare., of-a. street lamp. On the prosecution coming before Mr. Hunt, S.M., on May 27. the magistrate dismissed the- case as he considered the by-law had been complied with.

The Motor Vehicles Act was submitted in draft form and sub-committees discussed It, and suggested amendments, representatives of the motoring,*organisations appearing before a special Parliamentary committee to give evidence. In its more important aspects the bill received the association's unqualified support, and it is therefore a matter for congratulation that the bill was passed without material alteration. There can be no better justification than this of the existence of the Auckland Automobile Association ana similar organisations. The City Council in its heavy transport fees included private cars of over two tons laden weight. The motor associations were given a solemn promise bt the Government that private cars would not be called on to pay any fee' ahead of the £2 flat rate agreed on. and the association decided to strongly oppose the council's levy. It is satisfactory to report that the matter was settled amicably. With the registration of cars having been taken over by the postal authorities it became impossible to locate owners by the registered number of a car. this being particularly awkward. in the case of an accident. Agjwn ;t he. A.A_v., came.to -the assistance | ef-its- -members -and is now in the posiItion to supply the necessary information.

the A.A.A. for the way in which. it undertook the headlight question, ana set an example-in the way of demonstrating' the requirements of the by-law. and- arranging' for mechanics to actually be On the spot night after night adjusting Tamps and -giving advice. Such an organisation is worthy of tbe strongest support and every right-minded motorist must surely realise that if he cannot support the cause by giving his time he can in the matter of his annual subscription help the. work to be carried out.