MOTOR UNION

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25300, 27 September 1947, Page 10

MOTOR UNION

RECOMMENDATIONS OF CONFERENCE

ROAD SAFETY MEASURES A variety of recommendations was made bv the annual conference of the South Island Motor Union yesterday on measures to reduce accidents and schemes to improve motoring. The conference decided to support a proposal mentioned in a letter from the Commissioner of Transport (Mr G. L. Laurenson) that fitting of speedometers to all mptor vehicles should be made compulsory. It was decided to issue a new appeal against leaving broken glass on the roads.

Members requesting the free breakdown service of Automobile Associations will be required to supply name, address, and car registration number or membership ticket number to allow garages to recover expenses from callers who have gone on their way when break-down vans go into the country for them. The Minister of Transport (Mr J. O’Brien) will be asked to initiate greater activity to combat road accidents and to arrange regular meetings of the Road Safety Council.

The potential danger from lorries with wide trays was mentioned in several remits. Members agreed that a blue light in front of a lorry at night might also denote a long load or trailer and decided to press for outer lights indicating the width of the vehicle. A recommendation will also be made that a deflecting plate be fitted on all trucks between the cabin and front of wide trays to prevent persons on the roads and other vehicles being caught by the overhang in collisions. A suggestion that the 40 miles an hour speed limit be lifted in open areas was deferred until the half-yearly meeting, when the petrol position and incidence of road accidents could be reviewed.

Proposals were made for amendments to the “right-hand rule”; but it was agreed to defer discussion for a year to observe further the effects of present regulations. The conference learned with satisfaction that steps were being taken to provide a 24-hour petrol supply service in main centres of the South Island.

A motion to have petrol prices made uniform throughout the country was lost on the consideration that allowance should be made for its transport to remote centtes. When it was reported that an assurance had been given by the Commissioner of Transport that his officers would not prosecute if drivers were not immediately able to produce licences, it was agreed that the regulation should be made clear. It was mentioned that the amended regulation had been intended only to give Transport Department officers parallel rights to other law enforcement officers.

Election of Officers The following officers were elected by the South Island Motor Union yesterday:—patron, the Governor-General (Sir Bernard Freyberg); president, Mr W. R. Carey (Canterbury) vice-presi-dents, Messrs P. W. Breen (Otago). R. Wilson (South Canterbury), and I. V. Wilson (Southland); executive, Messrs G. W. Ferens (Otago), J. S. Hawkes, F. W. Freeman, G. Hamilton, L. W. Broadhead. B. Falck (Canterbury), and R. H. Parker (Pioneer Clubs); secretary and treasurer Mr P. Harvey; audii tor, Mr A. Donaldson.