HOARDINGS NEAR ROADS

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22662, 17 March 1939, Page 12

HOARDINGS NEAR ROADS

Railway Department Criticised MOTOR UNION’S DECISION (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, March 16. “I certainly think we should make a frontal attack on the Railway Department for the way it is placarding the front entrance to. Wellington with hoardings,” said Mr E. A. Batt (Wellington) at the half-yearly meeting of the North Island Motor Union in Wellington to-day. “The entrance to Wellington is a scandal. There is a complete set of hoardings all the way out to Petone,” said Mr Batt. "The way the Railway Department is developing this advertising it will soon be impossible to see the harbour anywhere along the Hutt road. The Government has set the worst possible example. How can we expect to get any sympathy from the Minister for Internal Affairs when his colleague, the Minister for Railways, permits such a state of affairs. It appears that the Government of the day has no sympathy whatever in any campaign to bring down roadside hoardings. We should make a frontal attack with the gloves off against this hunger of the Railway Department for revenue, probably to make up de' ficiencies. We should protest to the Minister for Railways at the manner in which advertising has been placed on the most dangerous part of the road.” _ Mr E. Palliser (Wellington); Two overhead bridges on the Hutt road are each carrving advertisements. We have had red lights put there, and staggered piers for the prevention of accidents. If the advertisements are of any value, it is because they make, the motorist take his eyes off the road to read them. If they are of no value they have no right to be there. The meeting decided to press the authorities for legislation to prohibit any roadside hoardings within two chains of a public highway, and that any such legislation be so worded as to bind the Crown.