THE MOTOR DANGER.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16324, 23 September 1918, Page 6

THE MOTOR DANGER.

+ TO THE EDITOR OF "THB PBESS."' Sir, —With one or two exceptions, correspondents who agree with Mr Gould that the motor traffic requires regulating appear to be quite barren of practical ideas. Putting obstructions across certain roadways is not going to cure the trouble, and will only penalise everyone using the streets, and so cause serious dissatisfaction. Motorists complain—and I can realise they have a just cause of oomplaint—that ,the traffic generally is not properly regulated in the city an# suburbs. When' writing on this matter one© before, I suggested that the raffic in he centre of the city should be regulated by the police as it is done in Wellington. We suggested that the traffic in the centre of the roadway between the Bank of New Zealand and Morten's block, and exercising about as much influence over the traffic a-s the Godloy statue does at the other Bide of Cathedral square. The constables on duty at certain busy spots in Wellington have absolute control .over all traffic, including even the trams, and no one can pass through until they give the signal, and yet there is no waste of 'time. This system has a double effect: it regulates the traffic at) those particular places and the streets leading to them, and it also educates drivers of all classes of vehicles, as welll as cyclists, as to the rules of the road. If this system were adopted in Christchurchy beginning with the Bank of New Zealand oorner and extending it to the north side of Cathedral square and the Clock Tower, coupled with th© infliction of much heavier punishment for exceeding the speed limit aind careless driving in the city and suburbs, there should sron be some improvement effected. Mr Superintendent lawyer should arrange for the exchange from Wellington of two or three men experienced in controlling street traffic, or send up some of his own men to learn how the work is done. Some well experienced men would be the best to put the system in operation, n& no doubt any interference with the present loose ways will bo resented by a good many people who have hitherto taken to themselves a free use of the roadways. The loitering of people on the roadways is also a matter for the police, and if the centre of the city were regulated the lessons taught there would no doubt be observed elsewhere.—Yours, etc., ' E H September 21st.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS."

_ Sir, I have read with considerable interest the correspondence started by Air George Gould in this matter, and I trust that his bringing the matter forWJ Jm! w " . ac ' lievo some permanent god. The point touched upon by your correspondent "Something Practical" contains the germ of a very good idea. It is an interesting fact that until 1807 ™, a . mor ® limited extent until l«yd) the law of our land was that "if ch ? tt ® l , directly or indirectly caused the death of a.person, either by accident or otherwise, that chattel, which was called a "Beodand," was forfeited' to the Crown, to be applied for charitable purposes. T venture to say that had this lawremained the law until the nresent dnv very grave objections could be urged against its abolition, and even now its re-enactment could not but be tive of good so far as the motor danger is concerned.—Yonrs, eto. ' JUNIUS.