THE SPEED MANIA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 221, 11 June 1908, Page 7

THE SPEED MANIA.

ACTION BY MOTOR TRADERS. DEPUTATION TO THE GOVERN-' ' MENT. , A meeting of the Wellington motor traders was held on Tuesday evening, when several important resolutions were passed relativo to the regulation and control of motor' traffic. .: ;' • ■ The meeting evinced d ' strong desire in the direction of a rigid enforcement by the authorities, and rigid observance by motorists, pf' the by-laws in forco for the control of speed and other regulations which tend to reduce tho liability of accidents, and to give their hearty co-operation to every movement in tho direction of a systematic and satisfactory control of all motor-car traffic. The question of road racing and record runs was discussed at. some length, and tho mooting showod great anxiety to suppress this form of sport as far as lies in their power, and they unanimously' decided not to support any move ,on the part' of any" individual motorist or any body of motorists' in tho direction of road-racing, but, on the other hand, to'discountenance any such action as being inimical to the safety of tho public and the 'welfa.ro of the trade. Thp general feeling, of the "meeting was that, apart from the commercial side of motoring, there is the pleasure side of this exhilarating pastimo to be looked at, and this would T)o best served by having tho traffic regulated so that whilst it would be possiblo for a reasonable speed'to. be obtained without controverting tho law or. jeopardising the, safety of vehicular or pedestrian traffic, it would not be 'possible- for'the "speod maniac to exist.

A desiro was expressed to have an Act passed by Parliament to' compel drivers of all cars to bo licensed, whether a, private owner or otherwise,, ana every applicant for a driver's certificate of, competency, before receiving same, to , undorgo a satisfactory examination by a duly authorised inspector and such■ license to bo forfeited after three endorsements. This would bo following ill the steps of the. Royal Automobile Club nl 1 if-! • governing body of motoring in Great Britain. It was thought advisable that tho control of motoring should ;bo .by special. Act of Parliament, which would apply generally to ovary individual district in the Dominion rather than liavo the control under the bylaws of various bodies, as this only gives rise to a multiplicity of exasperatingly varving conditions. J It was'resolved that a .deputation bo appointed to wait upon tho Government in order to bring this matter under their notice. Tho secretary was instructed to communicato with tho Automobile Association and various .Automobile Clubs, also tho motor traders in other centres throughout tho Dominion, in order to get their hearty cooperation to this schemo of control.