Easter Road Toll Below Last Year

Press, Volume C, Issue 29478, 3 April 1961, Page 12

Easter Road Toll Below Last Year

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 2. By early tonight there had been five road deaths during the Easter holidays. In the same period last year there were nine. The Transport Department reports that wet weather in most districts had reduced holiday traffic. Up to today there were 21 accidents in which people had been injured. The only serious one was in the Rotorua district where a child was struck by a car when running across the road.

The fifth fatality occurred when a Te Kuiti man died today as a result of a mishap near Te Kuiti yesterday.

Tonight the Transport Department issued a warning to motorists in the Auckland area to take care on stretches of road made treacherous by rain. Nelson was one of the few places to have fine and sunny weather yesterday and today. Most districts have had rain, and it has been cold and wet in the south. Traffic was 1 -avy in most districts yesterday and was lighter today. Christchurch reports the heaviest traffic ever on the ChristchurchAkaroa highway, where a big

Maori gathering ’> being held at Motukarara.

Traffic officers made seven drunk-in-charge arrests and 10 keys have been taken from drinking drivers since yesterday. The most prevalent offence has been travelling too fast and following too closely in the poor conditions. Faulty lighting has been another trouble.

Traffic was heavy throughout the Wellington district today, with a total of 26 tickets being issued. The most serious were for driving in a dangerous manner and at dangerous speeds. Traffic was bumper to bumper around n araparaumu this afternoon.

Palmerston North has had a clean accident sheet over the past few days. There has been a heavy traffic build-up with ore expected tomorrow. Twenty-two tickets have been issued, the most prevalent offence being failing to keep to the left. Rotorua had a record bag of offences with 72 tickets being issued today. There were also five accidents in the area.