SPEED OF MOTOR CARS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 677, 30 November 1909, Page 5

SPEED OF MOTOR CARS.

;':;v : : > 'GETTING;.WOESE AND :{, WORSE." V ** O. .' PROPOSED LEGISLATION./ . : . "Scorching" motor cars and motor bicycles have'become such a danger on the Mrikara. roads that a deputation from the County Council waited on tho Minister for Internal Affairs . (tho Hon. D. Euddo) yesterday to / ask that now provisions should bo made to control the traffic. Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P.; introduced the deputation. . .. . : . Mr. F. T. Moore, chairman .of the council, said that they had boon agitating over the matter for:a long time, but things were now getting worse and worse. He gave' several instances which had come under his own personal observation- of the alarming rate nt which some cars and motor cycles travelled. On Sunday he saw a car race the evening train from.Petone <to Wellington, scattering 'other traffic iqn the road in all directions. It probably, travelled at 30 miles an hour. Then on Saturday, he'saw two motor cyclists racing oven the Tawa Flat-Porirua Road at fully 30 miles an hour.'.Numerous other'instances of similar nature had been recorded, one of the greatest causes of complaint being the outrageous manner in which live stock. was maimed by cars and cycles while being' driven to the meat works.*- Cases had been reported to the police, but no steps ;had been taken- to prosecute, ■while it really seemed that furious drivers were quite, immune from private prosecution. The only solution was, tney thought, to provide, special motor police on motor cycles, and: this* could be .done by imposing a tax of £1 per annum on all motor cars and motor - cycles around Wellington, which would provide ifilOOO a'year; All the neighbouring local bodies-ap-proved th.H suggestion of motor police. At present the police : would not take action even when cases wore laid before them. The narrow road! of the county made the motor cars more, dangerous. '.'■•.. The Minister said ho had a Bill coming be- . fore the House to deal with this matter. One had .a good deal of/sympathy with the people who did not use motor-care, and it was obvious that a number, of owners of cars'were making : their use very unpopular. Tho present Act was placed on the Statute-book with a distinct understanding that local .authorities could tako up the same, position in regard to motors as they; were empowered to do in regard to'otter, vohicks,-making regulations- as .'.to speed* and even 'prohibiting their use altogether where they thought fit. ; .;-. '.. ."; , . .- Mr. Moore: We can't grapnle with them.. : : The Minister replied: that "in the Old Country tlio .10ca1'...-'bodies had grappled with, tho nuisance very effectually, bat there the counties controlled the police. He would put the matter .before his colleagues, and inform them that'.the deputation, wished the 'law amended •so-as ■"to vest the whole: power: of: control of niotor traffic with 'the Government. Personally, he did not favour-the Government taking up the work.■■■' It seemed to him that the local authoriti«!i;Wore in : a . position to make , bylaws anir havo them enforced for their own protection. They had unlimited powers for the making of by-laws. He never interfered with the-'right3 of local bodies when they wanted to have'by-laws-gazetted.. ...■:. i-',-'■ .. '.' Mr. Moore: Tho cost of onr administration would be enormous.; We-would have to. employspecial men to. catch and intercept these: "scorchers." J ■■■■.'■: '■ '■ . .'■. '•"-. ...:. . .-'. It .was'.pointed pit. that the difficulty of' the police'was to prove -excessive speed. : : Tne Minister said that to place the control in the hands of the Government would be to takeaway, probably the. and unpopular part of tho duties/of a local body, and put them into the'hands of the State,'which' would have to. put them into' practice within tho:bounds of .the local.authority. Such a'scheme would have to "he generkl, and in regard to Wellington city,: for example, where it was. easy to' control speed, the Goyerriment would not be thanked for taking over the control; Every' district would .have its, own way.■■; of■ meeting the'difficulty, and he/would not favour handing the wdrk'to the Government. Mi,.Moqrb.explained-that one'difficulty'-in. tho: way': of .proving?- speed in the Makara County; was' that' it .was almost -impossible to mark offa straight, mile,, on any road.. ' , . 'v- : IBy Tolcernph-Prosß AsaociatlonJ /'/ " , "."■■[ '-.■'• Christchurch, November 29.The City Council to-night decided ,to. ask the Government to issue regulations' for the licensing, of-motor-car, drivers. . . ' .;.<' •■'•