REGULATING MOTOR TRAFFIC.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 861, 6 July 1910, Page 6

REGULATING MOTOR TRAFFIC.

4 . SOME NEW SCHEMES. The need for power to be given to municipalities to regulate motor traffic within their limits was generally agreed upon by the delegates to the Municipal Conference at'yesterday's sitting. The following Christchurch remit and similar remits from Petone and Auckland were carried:—"That borough councils be empowered to make bylaws and regulations to govern the .'meed at which motor-cars may be driven through tho streets of a borough." The Mayor cf Christchurch (Mr. 0. : .Allison) moved:—"That regulations bo made under Section 3 of the Motor Regulation Act, 1908, providing for the testing and licensing of drivers. That borough councils be empowered to make by-laws to provide for tho licensing of drivers of motor-cars." i Discussion took' place as to whether owners, as well as drivers, should be licensed. The president and Mr. J. V. Brown, M.P., argued in the affirmative. Some of the delegates held that it would bo ridiculous to compel men who had been driving their own cars for ten years to orove their competence to do so, and that' it was the drivers of taxicabs and hired cars that were inclined to take risks; ' Tho motion was carried. Mr. J. A. Miller (Hastings) moved:— "That Section 1 of the Motor Regulation Act be amended to provide that every _ borough council shall be a. registering authority irrespective of the population of the borough which it represents." ■ This was seconded by Mr. H. Davis (Ashburton). Mr. C. Allison (Christchurch) said the result would be to seriously harass motorists in districts where municipalities were close together. ' The motion was carried.