MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 303, 16 September 1921, Page 9

MOTORS & MOTORING

(By "Clutch.”) 1 Legislation on Motor Lighting. The Department of Internal Affairs has informed the City Council that provisions relative to the lighting of mOtor vehicles will be contained in the MotorVehicles Bill to bo brought down next session, and that tho question of lights on other vehicles will be dealt with when an amendment to tho Lights on Vehicles Act is being considered. Taxation of Motorists. Some matters relative to the suggested possible taxation of motorists were discussed nt a meeting of the general com--mittee of the Auckland Automobile Association. A letter was received from tho Auckland! branch of the Motor Garage Proprietors’ Association of New Zealand, stating that that association desired to discuss several subjects with local members of Parliament prior to the opening of the approaching session. It was suggested that as the interests of the two associations were identical they should co-operate in waiting on the members of Parliament. A member said it was rumoured that the duty on < motor-cars was likely to be greatly increased when the tariff was revised!. It was thought that tho two associations should combine in interviewing members of Parliament. Tho president, Mr. W. Coltman, said the question of taxation was one that affected members of the Automobile Association even more than the garage proprietors. Dr. H. D. Mackenzie said the Automobile Association in Auckland comprised about 1000 members, and there would be a general election next year. He considered that if taxation on motorists were found to be necessary a tyre tax would bo more equitable then a flat | rate imposed on cars. Under the latter , ’ system a man who used his car only once a week would have to pay the same as a man who Used his'ear every day. It was agreed to appoint a deputation to interview the members of Parliament as suggested. "Dimming” Headlights. , The oft-disoussed question of the of motor lights was once more debated by the committee of, the Auckland Automobile Association nt its 1 last meeting. Messrs. G. Henning and A. Grayson, in reporting what had been done in reference to the subiect at the » Tecent New Zealand Automobile Union conference, expressed themselves as averse to "dimming” on tho ground that it was often a dangerous, as well as an unnecessary, practice. Mr. Henning said that bright motor lights, like the sun, should not bo looked at. and if this precaution were followed no- inconvenience resulted. After reference had been made to the provisions in the city by-laws, tho matter was referred to the legislation committee of the association. Car Upsets Policeman. I A motorist in a nice new car was tak'fng his machine carefully out of Foyt Street, Auckland, and turned to go 'clown Queen Street (states tho "Star"). Whether he was a recruit to the ranks Of car owners or whether he had just conje in from the country and hadn't quite got used to tho city crowds, it is hard to say, but at the corner his touch on tho • wheel seemed to lack that confidence one associates with tho town chauffeur. He cut across tho taxis drawn up in Fort Street, and a police offider standing a few yards off evidently obliterated everything else in the .eye of that driver, for the car steered as straight for the officer as the needle follows; the magnet. It is a well-known fact among 1 people who study these recondite things that a body a man may wish to avoid sometimes has the effect of hypnotising 1 his will. Before tho officer could realise what was going to happen that car had caught him “amidships and ho was rammed and upset as effectively as though ho had been a German submarine .and the oncoming car a pursuing destroyor. The car driver was obviously overwhelmed with confusion at his ineffectual attempt to take tho corner, but he had enough presence of mind left to solemnly take out his card > and 'hand it to the police officer, ’who, under the circumstances, showed remarkable powers of self-control. A mere civilian could have vented his feelings in rt manner which is denied the police. Safety and Speed. ,

The rescinding of the twenty-mile speed limit—possibly by next season—is,the "London Evening Standard” learns, the main point of the recommendations that will go forward at an early date from the special committee appointed to investigate motor speed. conditions' in Great Britain. The abolition iof the speed limit will probably apply only to private motor-cars, motor-cycles, and the lighter type of vehicles. The central principle of the recommendations takes account not alone of the safety and convenience of the public, but also of the vital question of the preservation of road surfaces, towards the maintenance of which-the motorist is obliged to .contribute in one form or another. Accordingly, vehicles will bo graded so that the steel-shod type will still probably be limited to five miles an hour as heretofore, motor coaches, omnibuses, and char-a-bancs to sixteen miles an hour, while others, not exceeding a certain weight, and fitted with pneumatic tyres,'reducing wear and, tear upon the road surface, and minimising vibration, will bo held within a twonty-four-mile-an-hour limit. This proposed increase of four miles on the existing ’regulation is prompted partly with a view to the general convenience of roadusers and by a recognition, of the enormous development of motor engineering during recent years, with the super-added war experience towards the efficiency end control of the motor vehicle. In future, should the proposed recommendations become operative, all motor vehicles, regardless of size or type, will bo subject , to the question of safety. Motorist® who J drive to the common danger, even at five miles per hour in a crowded thor- s oughfare in certain condition® will drastically dealt with, and the habitually reckless and careless driver especially will become amenable to the law. It is, of course, unknown how far the foregoing recommendations will be carried into effect. Suggested Legislation. The following remits appear on the order paper for the Municipal Association’s Conference, which is to foe held at the end of the month:— Registration of Motor Vehicles. —That the Motor Regulation Act, 1908, be amended to provide that all registration of motor vehicles shall lie renewed' annually.—(New Plymouth.). Invercargill asks for annual license fee in addition to registration fee. Size and Weight of Motor Vehicles.— That the Motor Regulation Act be amended to authorise the issue of regulations limiting the size of .and weight to be carried by commercial vehicles.—(New Plymouth.) . Court Proceedings.—That the Motor Regulation Act be ajmended to provide that in court proceedings under the provisions of that Act a copy of the certificate of registration certified by the clerk of the registering authority be accepted as proof of the registration of such motor.—(New Plymouth.) Unregistered Motors in Non-registratlon Districts.—That section 1(1 of the Motor Registration Act be .amended to make it an offence to use an unregistered motor on a street in a fion-registration district. —(New Plymouth ) Motor By-laws—lnvercargill sends copy of proposed by-laws for governing motor traffic in Invercargill for consideration by the conference. —(Invercargill.) Lighting-up time: To-day, 5.41 p.m. Next Friday, 5.48 p.m.