CONTROL OF TRAFFIC

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30811, 24 July 1965, Page 16

CONTROL OF TRAFFIC

Reply Ry Cr. Flint “The people of Christchurch are not stupid, and I have every confidence in their ability to decide for themselves whether or not the number of road fatalities is an indication of effective traffic control,” said Cr. T. D, Flint, chairman of the City Council’s traffic committee yesterday. He was replying to the Commissioner of Transport (Mr R. J. Polaschek) on Christchurch accident figures. “In his efforts to belittle the achievements of the city traffic department, Mr Polaschek seems to be overlooking the fact that, the fatality rate in Transport Department-con-trolled areas is overwhelmingly higher than in those areas controlled by local body staff, although the Transport Department has such a large staff and is so well equipped in respect of the number of patrol vehicles it operates.” Cr. Flint said. “My remarks dealing with the need to have greater supervision over staff to ensure they are doing their job were prompted by the fact that I frequently have to travel on the Main North road out of Christchurch on a Sunday afternoon. Need I say more?

“At Easter I travelled over 800 miles on main highways and never saw a patrol car or officer. Perhaps it was their week-end off. In January I attended the motor races at Wigram and it took me nearly three hours to get home. Obviously the Transport Department officers had gone home early ,to avoid the crush. “Mr Polaschek need not find it difficult to believe that I am serious,” he said. “The plain, simple fact is that the transport Department is not doing an effective job, and there is evidence of this throughout the lentgh and breadth of the country. There is certainly no justification for his Minister to claim that departmental control would save lives.” Cadet Course Eight New Zealanders will enter the Officer Cadet School, Portsea, Victoria, this month for a 12 months’ training course. The New Zealanders will join 79 Australians. two Malaysians, one Thai and one Filipino in the course. They are:—J. Dreaver (Takapuna), M. M. Fair (Masterton), N. J. Fry (Papakura Military Camp), R. G. Milne (Lower Hutt), G. A. Thelin (Nelson), T. J. Verrall (Petone), R. W. Walker (Dunedin), K. Q. Young (Westport).—(Sydney, July 23.)