MOTORING.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18549, 26 November 1925, Page 11

MOTORING.

TIMARU »ASSOCIATION. ANNUAL MEETING. iSnxiAL TO "THE PRESS." t TIM AIM", November -VS. The annual general meeting of tho South Canterbury Automobile Association was held this evening, Dr. C. A. Paterson presiding. The chairman extended a welcome to Messrs J. {>. Hawkes. t". "VY. Johnston, P. ]{. Harman, and AY. H. Nicholson, delegates from the Canterbury Autoinobilo Association, who were oil their way to attend the meeting of tho South island Motor Union at Dunedin. In presenting the annual report and balance-sheet, as already published in ''The Press,'' the chairman said that tho local Association had been very active in endeavouring to obtain better control of motor traffic. It had worked in conjunction with the Borough Council, and was bringing forward a set of regulations which should do much to assist in controlling trafiic. An experiment had been made with the American idea of painting white lines on tho road on a busy corner. and had proved very successful indeed in directing the traffic. Ho hoped that before long it would be possible . for the Association to have its own clnbrooms. He thanked the members of the committee for their support and co-operation during the year. Mr E. R. Guinness, in seconding the motion for the adoption of the> rcjwrt and balance-sheet, expressed keen satisfaction with the work clone by the Association during the past year, and ■congratulated it upon its sound financial position. Mr' It. Wedderspoon supplemented the remarks of the previous speaker. Before leaving the chair, the president moved that Mr E. R. Guinness should be appointed the lirst life member of tho Association. Mr GuiuflSSS was one of the oldest meruebrs of the Association. He had been its first president, and had always done everything in his power to further its interests. The motion was seconded by Mr J. Pal.liser, and carried amidst hearty applause. .. Election of Officers. The election of officers resulted -as follows: —President, Dr. C". A. Paterson; vice-president, Mr N. M. Orbell; general committee, Messrs T. Scott, J. H. Bon, W. H. Orbell. X. M. Orbell, jE. R. Guinness, J. Palliser, W. "W. Baxter, "\V: T. Ritchie, S. G. McClelland'.' G. A. Bridges, G. Benstead, and Dr. C. A. Paterson (Timaru): the country members were rc-eJeetecl, Mr J. Kelland.being appointed to represent Mackenzie County in place of Mr A. P. Kelland. A letter was received from the secretary .of fc>t>. Saviour's Orphanage in connexion with the proposal to transfer the boys from the orphanage to the Girls' Home at Sumner, and the girls to the orphanage aifc Timaru for four weeks from December, asking the Association to provide 1(5 ears to transport the girls from the railway station, at Timfliru to St. Saviour's Orphanage. It was decided to recommend the incoming committee to accede to the requst: Motor Union.

Mr J. S. Hawkes, of the Canterbury Automobile Association., congratulated the South Canterbury body on its in- i creased membership. He went on to deal with some of the activities of the South Island Motor Union, and said it was expected that the Main Highways Board- would tour the. South Island in January. Tenders would shortly be called for the construction of the Selwyn bridge, and he thought that before the end of next year there would be a good ferro-con-crete bridge over the Selwyn. The South Island Motor Union, by its success in having the motor licenses reduced from £5 to £2, had saved South Island motorists £95,000 per annum. The work of motor associations was becoming more widely recognised,, but motorists ■ should realise that proper organisation was everything to them. Mr Guinness said he would like to bring under the notice'-of Mr Hawkes the necessity for a traffic bridge over the/Rangitata lower down, on the straight line from Ghristc-huVch to South Canterbury. Mv Hawkes said that Mr Furkert and the members of the Main Highways Board .would be in South Canter-, bury in January. He suggested that the. .Association should then bring the matter under their notice, and show them the proposed site... He felt, however, that it was not altogether wise to go in for many big schemes at one time, as better roads were wanted, and the money available should be spent to the best possible advantage. Mr W. H. Nicholson spoke on the subject of taxation, stating that the form most acceptable to motorists would be a tax on tyres rather than a petrol tax, as the former would fall up&n no one but the users of roads. If more revenue was necessary the tax could simply ibe increased. Mr F. W. Johnston delivered an interesting address on insurance matters.