TRAFFIC CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 42, 13 November 1936, Page 6

TRAFFIC CONTROL

Changes in Wellington City Council Staff

ENGINEERS REPORT

“Discipline Slack in Certain

Directions”

Reorganisation of the traffic department was decided upon by the Wellington City Council last night, following on a report from the city engineer, Mr. K. E. Laihe. Air. G. N. T. Goldie is to be transferred from | the city engineer’s department to the traffic department as assistant tiaflic inspector in place of Mr. F l . W. McCourtie. who is to he vehicle inspector located at the corporation yard. ■ Mr. P. Hazeldon is to be office and ' inquiry inspector in charge of I general office administration. InspecI For T. Broughton is to he in complete charge of the outside traffic control staff. Mr. Luke’s report, which was announced by the mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, as having been adopted after consideration in committee, included the following passages:— “I have held a full inquiry into the working conditions and organisation of the 'department, and have interviewed personally every officer in it. My inquiries elicited a considerable amount of detailed evidence to which at the present juncture it does not. appear desirable or necessary to make particular reference. From this evidence, however, and from my own personal observations, I have come to the following conclusions: “(1) The discipline of the department, which should be of a very high order, is in certain directions slack; “(2) The department is over-section-aliserl, and there is lack of co-operation existing between the various sections; “(3) Apart from certain deficiencies, the working of the department as a whole appears to be reasonably satisfactory, having regard to the fact that for some time past it has been badly understaffed and even now is seriously hampered by inadequate office accommodation. Keen Interest in Duties. “From the inquiry held I formed the opinion that the officers of this department, both inside and outside, witli one or two possible exceptions, take a very keen interest in their duties,” said Mr. Luke. "The council, however, does not obtain the full benefit of their services owing to the lack of proper co-ordination and to the competitive interests of the various sections into which the department is now divided. Furthermore, it would appear that lack of co-ordination has encouraged certain officers to assert authority, which has not resulted in the harmonious working of the department.” He recommended that the department be rearranged under three main groups, functioning under an assistant chief traffic inspector, responsible to the chief traffic inspector, who should be given the opportunity he did not at present enjoy of devoting himself more to the administrative side of the department. The groups would be: Office administration and technical investigation; traffic control; and vehicle inspection. “The present assistant chief traffic inspector who appears to be responsible generally for the working conditions and arrangements of the department, particularly the outside staff, has not, in my opinion, the special training or technical knowledge (apart from routine traffic control) which are essential qualifications to-day for an officer holding the position of assistant chief traffic inspector to a city the size of Wallington,” he said. Recommending Mr. Golden’s appointment as assistant chief traffic inspector, he.said.two aspects of traffic control required immediate attention —the question of parking in city streets and the arrangement of arterial traffic flows through the main and secondary streets. Mr. Goldie, in town planning work, had amassed a considerable amount of data dealing with traffic control. Ho had made a particular study of the traffic conditions of Wellington and his direct, association with the traffic department would ensure the information required being completed and enable him to bring down a comprehensive report on the whole question of traffic in Wellington. Divided Office Control. Divided office control was unsatisfactory, and made worse by cramped offices. More suitable accommodation should be provided soon. Recommending Mr. Hazeldon to be in charge of the general office administration, he said Mr. Hazeldon was one of the senior inspectors, had taken a keen interest in traffic control, and was particularly well acquainted with the routine of traffic control in Wellington. Mr. Hazeldon would be responsible directly to the assistant chief traffic inspector, with the designation of office and inquiry inspector.

There was a certain slackness and a lack of confidence among the traffic inspectors in the officer at present controlling them. An officer whose character. temperament and experience were such that he had the respect of the whoie uniformed branch, and whose past record showed that he had requisite tact and ability in dealing with the general public in an outstanding degree was Inspector Broughton, whom he recommended to be senior inspector in sole and complete charge of the outside staff, responsible only to the assistant chief traffic inspector. “Inspection of vehicles under the Motor Registration Act is not nt present being carried out efficiently,” said Mr. Luke. “The work of this branch should in the future be vrye much increased.” Mr. McCourtie, the present assistant chief traffic inspector, had particular qualifications and lengthy experience in this class of work, he said, recommending that lie should be transferred to the corporation yard and be located there as vehicle inspector. Examination Recommended. He recommended that promotion within the traffic department be subject to an officer passing a prescribed examination. A traffic inspector should be required to prove’that he possessed necessary special legal and technical knowledge before being asked to represent the corporation on a public street as an accredited traffic inspector. The salaries paid to the lower grade inspectors compared unfavourably with the remuneration given for less responsible positions in other branches of the corporation service. Some consideration should be given to this department when positions and salaries were under review at the end of the financial year. Mr. Luke acknowledged the way officers of the department had. with tlio growth of traffic, undertaken additional duties in a very capable manner and without complaint. Particular credit was due to the chief Ira flic inspector, Mr. Drake. The bigger question of the reorganisation of the whole of the traffic control would bo covered in a special report later.