COSTLY TOLL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 176, 26 July 1940, Page 5

COSTLY TOLL.

ROAD ACCIDENTS.

SERIOUS ECONOMIC LOSS.

COMMENT BT MINISTER.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. Road accidents had cost the country j over three-quarters of a million! pounds since the outbreak of war, said the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, to-day.

"There have been more than 2500 casualties, including 183 deaths, on the roads, since the war began," said Mr. Semple. "Most of those killed and injured were adults. The resultant economic loss from permanent and temporary incapacity is especially serious in this time of emergency.

"In spite of petrol rationing 24 persons have been killed and almost 500 injured j on the roads during the past six weeks," the Minister added. "Nearly half of those who lost their lives were pedestrians. This indicates that pedestrians do not sufficiently appreciate the increased danger in winter time, wheni longer hours of darkness and poor visi-j bility make them specially liable to, injury. In rural areas pedestrians should walk on the right hand side of the road and either wear light coloured clothing or carry a torch. In town areas they should keep to the footpath and use pedestrian crossings.

"At least two of the accidents last month were due to motorists travelling too fast," said the Minister. "Suchi excessive speed is doubly wasteful- It destroys lives and is squanders petroL"

Snuff-taking took its rise In England from the captures of vast quantities of snuff by Sir George Rooke's expedition to Vigo in 1702, and the practice soon became general. In 1839 there were imported 1,622,4931b of ennff; 196,3051b were entered for home consumption.