ROAD SERVICE DISCUSSED

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21436, 30 March 1935, Page 23

ROAD SERVICE DISCUSSED

| * i | SOUTH ISLAND MOTOR! i UNION | ) ; I I I ! I HALF-YEARLY MEETING OF | DELEGATES : tSffcCIAL 90 TKS PRESS. I ; QAMARU. March 20. : ; i A Committee Discission ' Consideration of !l:o restoration of | | the main highways funds and the; | action of the Government in charging ; | interest on grants from the Consolidated ! Fund, and of proposals for subsidising I local body expenditure on roads other than main highway;;, was taken in committee. However, the following views t were made available for publication:— "Because 01 the existing linancial ! crisis a few years ago, motorists agreed ito the transfer of 11500,000 from the main highways account to the Consolidated Fund as a temporary measure only. Examination of the schedule of; interest and redemption charges debited j against the main highways Junds dis-1 closed a steady increase in the sums | annually charged. The sum el' debits ■ had almost doubled in six years, and! it. was reasonable to assume that the bill would double again in the next I six years, and would then total £400,000. The reason for the increase in the interest and redemption account charges, was that the Government at the present time unjustifiably treated all moneys paid to the construction account as loan money. In 1933-31 £200,000 was allocated to the construction account and treated as loan money, and for 1934-35 £510,000 appeared on the estimates tor construction. As motor taxation was imposed l'or roading purposes, motorists had every reason to resent, the road funds being handed back its own money as loan. If this practice was allowed to continue Ihe finances <>E the board

would rapidly become chaotic, because a huge liability was being forced upon.

I the board. Interest and redemption in j 1929 and 1930 amounted to £93,257, and. I in 1934-35 it. was estimated to amount jto £196.000." J Resolution C:'rri; d j The following motion was carried, unanimously: "(at That direct grants by the Crown out of motor taxation as rebate to counties on rates should be discontinued; (b) that the charging of interest on Government grants or on transfer to the Main Highways j Board's construction account should be discontinued; (c) that all motor taxation should bo restored to the Main Highways Board; fcl) that any assistance to counties should be by way of grants by the Main Highways Board out of highway funds for roading; (e> that steps be taken to set up a committee of the North Island Motor Union and the South Island Motor Union to consider the whole question in all its phases, and to confer with county representatives and representatives of the Crown; (f) that all special taxation which was placed on motorists to assist the Dominion in its time of need should be reduced proportionately with other special taxation for similar purposes." O AMARU, March 29. The half-yearly meeting of the South Island Motor Union was held at The Bungalow to-day. Mr F. W. Johnston (president) was in the chair, and there were also present the following delegates:—Dr. S. A. Gibbs, Messrs C. M. Rout and E. R. Neale (Nelson); Mr R. P. Furness (Marlborough), Messrs R. Twyneham, W. R. Carey, F. W. Freeman, L. Wilson (Canterbury); Messrs S. G. McClelland, J. Palliser, W. J. Foote (South Canterbury); the Rev.' J. Hay, Mr E. J. Meredith (Waimate;; Messrs J. W. Petrie, R. Jenkins, J. 11. ; Main (Oamaru); Messrs F. J. Williams,: E. J. Anderson, J. L. Passmore, H. S. Reid, W. F. Sutton (Otago); Mr D. J. Wesney, Dr. Stanley Brown, Messrs J. R. Haigh, J. S. Dick (Southland.*; Mr ; J. S. Hawkes (Pioneer Motor Club); Messrs W. O'Callagnan, W. G. Walkey (North Island Motor Union); Mr H. Wynyard (Main Highways Board.', and Mr P. R. Harman (secretary).

The Mayor (Mr M. F. Cooney) welcomed the delegates. Mr Cooney referred to the work carried out by the automobile associations, not ,only l'or the people they represented, but for the community as a whole. They should not forget that the associations provided the money and he hoped that their meeting would be successful in advocating those things Ihey were entitled to. He expressed appreciation of the work of the local association, the members of which gave willing assistance.

Mr J. W. Petrie welcomed the delegates on behalf of the local association. Mr Johnston replied. The South Canterbury Association wrote advocating that sign-boards be erected to indicate telephone bureaux in the back country. It was decided to adopt the principle and to urge on all associations that the suggestion be carried out. Remits The remits that came before the* meeting were dealt with as follows, the association submitting the remit being indicated in paremnesis:—

That the question of standardised street parKing be discussed by delegates (Southland). In an accompanying memorandum the Southland Association pointed out that tne regulations governing street parking varied irorn town to town, and in some localities the motorist who left his car for a short while in the street was made the victim of something bordering on persecution. The commonsense method of controlling temporary street parking would be to do so by means oi I standardised regulations. All import- ! ant streets would be graded into: class !A, streets in which the density oi ! traffic did not permit parking; Class B, streets in which vehicles might stand for not more than 10 minutes; and Class C, streets in which vehicles might stand for not mere than 30 minutes. Vehicles likely to be left for longer periods would use the parking places. Each of the three classes of streets would be given a distinctive colour, for instance; Class A, red; Class B, yellow; Class C, green. The : entrances to each street would be i marked by a coloured disc, denoting the class to which it belonged. With: such a system in universal operation i the present chaos would disappear, j ' That consideration be given by the authorities concerned to the adoption ' of uniform parking signs for the cities | and principal towns of the Dominion i (Otago). ;

Both the above remits were dealt with together, Mr Passmore stating the Otago Association favoured the Auckland parking system. It was decided to support the proposal for uniform parking signs and systems, the memorandum being referred to the executive for further consideration. It was decided to take further steps to have the law amended to allow of evidence being taken on commission in cases of traffic breaches.

Road Service At a meeting of delegates a number of matters were discussed in connexion with road service. In the case of a broken axle nearly all delegates said that towage service would be given in such a case. It was also resolved that where the member was held up through the car running oil the road, or was stuck in sand or water, it should be serviced if in the opinion of the association in whose district the breakdown occurred the conditions were suitable for general motor traffic.

It was resolved that where tyre trouble arose from carelessness or want of due provision on the part of the member, the service should not be given; and further, that when a member calls a garage which is further away from the scene of the breakdown than the nearest official garage, ha is-1

only entitled to mileage calculated to the nearest garage. The following recommendation was carrier!: That it be agreed between associations that until the next annual meeting all work done or service given under Die scheme be paid for by the association to which the member belongs, but that the reciprocity now existing between North and South Island Associations remain unaltered.

The question of the advisability of obtaining some protection against possible claims arising on the negligence, acts or omissions of the contractors was discussed, and finally, it was decided that though the meeting was of the opinion that there was no liability against associations connected with negligent acts of contractors, it was recommended to all associations that they obtain from members their signature to an indemnity before the service started.

The report from Mr Reed that the Otago Association did not give service within the boundaries of any town or borough gave rise to discussion, the question being referred to associations for further cuosideratioru