THE MOTOR MENAGE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1087, 28 March 1911, Page 5

THE MOTOR MENAGE.

ON PETONE ROADS. GOME SPIRITED CRITICISM. ■ There were some rather lively passages among members of tho Petono Borough Council last ovoniug,' when tho regulation of motor traffic on tho Hutt Road became tho tliemo of discussion. Councillor Jones opened firo by lnov' ( ing:—"That this council co-operate with the Lower Hutt Borough Council with n view of framing a' by-law to govern tho speed of motor traffic on tho Main Hutt Road between tho Woollen Mills,. Petono, and Black Bridge, Lower Hutt." Do Dogs' Deaths Count? Speaking to his motion, Councillor Jones declared that it Was time that tho council did something to protect the lives of citizens from tho dangers incidental to' motor traffic. Already ono man had been killed, and a child had been run over and its leg broken. Numerous dogs had' been killed also. "That is a good job," said a councillor (referring to flic does). ( "No it isn't," replied Councillor Jones. "You would not say so if it were your > dog." • i > Councillor Truoman seconded tho mol tion. : Councillor I'iper said that he would like ■to soc the motion take some more definite ! shape. 1 What Speed Limit? In this view the Mayor (Mr. M'Ewnn) > concurred. There was no need to 00-, • operate with Hutt in the matter. Tho', . council should deal independently with ! that portion of the road under its own ' . jurisdiction. H could pass a by-law pro-. , viding that no motor should travel at a greater speed than "Six miles an hour" interjected Co mi- ■ cillor Piper. "No—ten miles an hour," said the ] Mayor. They have a light to run at areasonable speed. "Six miles ail hour is a reasonable I speed on tho Hutt Road," asserted Coun- , cillor Jones. . ' A Voice in Opposition. ' Councillor Southgato said tho law of the , country permitted motorists to (ravel at . a reasonable speed. On a vacant road ; twenty to thirty miles an hour was a reai sonablo speed. Whero a road was occu- ■ pied by traffic and by children ten miles i an hour might be a reasonable speed. , The Mayor: "I am disposed to hav« . the matter tested." Continuing, Councillor Southgato said he , did not think the proposed by-liw would . havo any effect. Tho council could not over-ride tho Act which said: "A reasonable speed." Councillor' List said that if a man drovo a' horse and cart through the streets at half the speed of these motor-cars lie' would be arrested for furious driving. Councillor Piper declared himself satisfied that motor traffic depreciated the value of property on the Hutt Road. This) was owing to tho dust nuisance. "They would mako just as much dust if they ran at six miles an hour," remark, ed a councillor. J Tho Mayor moved, as an amendment to tho original motion, that a by-law bo framed limiting tho speed of motors on) that portion of the Hutt Road under fcho jurisdiction of tho council, to ten miles an\ hour and on Jackson Street to eight miles/ an.hour, Answering a question his Wo*-: ship said his motion would cover motor-1. bicycles as well as ears. At tho request! of a councillor tho. Mayor, agreed to make ' tho eight-mile limit applicable to streets,' in any part of tho borough. ' i Councillor Piper heartily endorsed tho: view that immediate steps should bo taken' to abate tho nuisance caused by motors I .' driven at excessive speed. Elaborating the point, he regaled tho council with a picturesque narration of several hair-breadth escapes that had come under his elisor" vatiou. . 1 Councillor Pipor's Remedy. A li ttle earlier in tho discussion when tho Town Clerk suggested that measured half miles should bo daid down, Councillor Piper had-stated that he know a better way. Ho now informed tho'council what tho better way was. "If motor traffic cannot bo controlled in any other wav," ho said, "wo should put down a few asphalt crossings, not high 'enough to interfere with ordinary traffic, but high' enough, if . these fellows (tho motorists) strike them .at excessive speed, to throw them over. If this were dono'they would go slow," declared tho councillor, "because their own precious skins, and not those of our children and aged people, would be in danger." Motorists Defended. 1 Councillor Southgato reiterated his belief that no by-law passed could over-rido an Act of Parliament. To hear Councillor Piper, ono would think that motorists were all lunatics. As a fict, many were as careful of their machines and to avoid' accidents as possible. There were, of course, some reckless drivers of cars just I as there were reckless drivers of horses. The rate at which some drivers of lijrsea rounded corners suggested that they were,' unfit to . drive even rocking horses. The speaker had tested motor-cars at six,! eight, and twelve miles per hour, and hadi found that, at tho highest speed named, it was possiblo to pull up a car in its own length every time. To ride on a car going at six miles an hour mado ono think ho was going to a funeral. A Matter of Funerals, "You often do—to somobody else's!"—> interjected Councillor Piper. "Well," responded Councillor South-, gate, "it would bo a good' thing if wo went to our own, some of lis!" Tho Mayor said the by-law which was proposed did not aim at motorists who. drovo at a reasonable speed. Ho thought that it would be nt all evonts worth to make some endeavour to stop tho reekless driving of many "of these peoplo who own motor-cars ill tho city of Weilington." The engineer' would tell them, that, with the speaker, he was very nearly run over by a motor-ear ono night on tho Ilutt Road. "That would havo been a serious loss, Wouldn't it?" queried his Worship. Tho amendment providing for tho Iraniing of a by-law was carried, Councillor Southgnte voting alone in opposition. Tho Mayor stated that (lie by-law, when framed, would be brought 'before tho council for confirmation. He added that it would bo submitted at tho next meet, ing. ■