CLOSING ROADS FOR RACES

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25742, 2 March 1949, Page 2

CLOSING ROADS FOR RACES

ORDER IN COUNCIL TO BE SOUGHT

ACTION BY AUTO-CYCLE CLUB

An Order-in-Council granting Jocal bodies permission to close roads for races held by motor-car or motorcycle clubs affiliated with any controlling body will be sought by the Canterbury Auto-Cycle Club. The sports organiser of the club (Mr T. R. McCleary) said yesterday that at present local bodies were not empowered to close roads for races. “UiC less amending legislation is introduced, the lack of authority to close the roads will mean the death of motor sport on New Zealand roads,” he said.

The club's decision follows the recent direction by the police that the Waimairi County Council had no authority to close roads in its district for the New Zealand road race championship. The auto-cycle club, said Mr McCleary, was concerned at the position which might arise if the motor-cycle Grand Prix was held, as scheduled, at Cust on April 19. The police, while appearing sympathetic with the club, had made it clear that if a complaint was made they would have to prosecute every rider who exceeded the speed limit of 50 miles an hour. That would mean prosecuting every starter. “It is not worth the risk of going ahead on the assumption that there will be no complaints,” said Mr McCleary. If the Order-in-Council could not be passed in time for the race to be held at Cust the ciub would be forced to apply for the use of the R.N.Z.A.F, Station, Wigram.

The Rangiora County Council, which administered the Cust district, approved the closing of the roads for the race. There was no danger cf any of the Cust residents, who made the Grand Prix day a sort of ga*a day, complaining about the race. Cust residents even offered the use of their telephones. If the race could not be held at Cust, he continued, it would seriously affect New Zealand’s chances in the International T.T. race to be held at the Isle of Man in June, as the course at Cust was an ideal testing-ground. The English body subsidised one rider from each Dominion each year to take part in the race. In motor racing matters New Zealand seemed to be far behind the times, concluded Mr McClearv, as roads were closed as a matter of course in almost every other country in the world for big road races.