MOTOR TRAFFIC.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 48, 25 August 1911, Page 7

MOTOR TRAFFIC.

REPORT ON TAXIGABS. UNSATISFACTORY BRAKES, STRINGENT BYLAWS SUGGESTED. ■ Recently the City Council took th© question 01 the further regulation of the motor tmffip of the city in hand, and appointed Mr, P. O. Spry, motor expert to tho Central Vite Brig skle, inspector of motor traffic. Mr. Spry has sine© been busy with his inspection of cars plying for hire, and kst evening »n interesting report of his on the problem was placed iti the hands of the Mayor. It will be dealt with at the next meeting of the council. The report, k as follows:-— "1 have to report having inspected, all the tadticabs plying for hira on the streeta of Wellington at the present time. There are Serveral tJufioaba just now off the road for repairs; these will be inspected and tested when finished, Out of the number inspected, fully 60 per cent, failed to pass, chiefly owing to '- unsatisfactory Brakes,. ajitf were not allowed to ply for hire again until the defects were remedied and the brakes tested. In one case the vehicle had insufficient brakes, and a licenso was therefore refused. FREQUENT INSPECTION NEEDED. "<1 might here state that the inspection of these motors will have to* be frequent, systematic, and thorough, otherwise it will be of little us, as experience already gained in carrying out the duties of inspection has convinced me J^iftt some of these motors would in a short time be as bad as ever if not inspected frequently. Tfl my opinion, they should be inspected once ' * monthi I suggest that the following r<£ filiations witfi respect to all motorcars in the city should Tie adopted, viz. i— • DRIVERS AND CERTIFICATES. "Every person driving a motor-car in th« City of Wellington shall possess a certificate of competency. Certificates of c&mpetency will be issued to every perf»on complying with the following regulations j (a) An applicant for a certificate shdl he at least eighteen years of age; (bj hi must show by a practical driving test and by success! ally pasring 1 an oral examination that he is sufficiently ac quainted' with the working and use of the ditferent levers, brakes, clutches^ and steering gear, also the speeds attainable on diifersnt gears, and be a reasonably good judge of speed and distance} (cj he shall have had at least six months previous experience in driving motorcars; (d) he shall produce two testimonials from previous employers as to general good conduct and sobriety. Every person driving a motor vehicle plying for hirs on engaged in any commercial undertaking shall possess a certificate of competency. Every paid driver of a motor vehicle shall possess a certificate of competency. The City Council shall issue a certificate of service to every driver of a motor-car uded solely as a pleasure car providing the said owner has beeft driving the same for not less than sis months prior to these regulations coming into fores. In all other cases Aft applicant for a certificate must pass the above examination. Any motor-car running in the City of Wellington for more than ten consecutive days must be registered by the City Council. The councilhave power to cancel afly driver's certificate on being satisfied tliat it is desirable to do so. CARE OF VEHICLES. "All motor vehicles plying for hire or engaged in any commercial undertaking shall be inspected by the inspector appointed for the purpose before being licensed. Taxicabs or any other motor vehicle engaged in carrying passengers shall be inspected every month or as often as necessary. The owner of a. licensed motor vehicle plying for hire shall notify the inspector of any alterations or repairs that are being effected to the same. The inspector shall have power to enter any garage or workshop for the purpose of inspecting any licensed motel* vehicle therein. Should the inspector consider any part or parts of any licensed motor vehicle unfit for the purpose for which it is licensed, he shall give notice in writing to the owner and auch vehicle shall be deemed unlicensed until repairs or alterations have been effected to -the satisfaction of the inspector. Every motor vehicle running in the City of Wellington shall be passed by the inspector before registration. SPEED LIMITATIONS. "A driver of a motor vehicle "diall not cause it to travel at a. grea-tei speed tha-tt two miles per hour when turning into or out of the following streets; Cuba-street) Willis-street, Manners*streeT>, Courtenay-place, Vivian-street, fngestrestreet, Ghuznee-street, Customhouse* quay, tambton-quay, Taranaki-street, Tory'street, Kent-terrace, and Ellicestreet, and iff no case shall he' turn a corner at a greater speed than four miles per hour. He shall ' at all times drivO with the greatest caution and consideration for other users of the highway. The speed limit' in the City of Wellington shall not exceed twenty miles per hour, / ' v FARES AND TAXIMETERS. "AH licensed taxicabs shall be fitted with approved taximeters within six months of these regulations coming into force, and shall be maintained in good order and will be tested periodically by the inspector. It shall be an offence for the driver of a taJtteab to take a fare that is not registered by the taximeter unless specially engaged .by time. Fares for tho hire of taxicabs by distance shall be Is per mile for one person, and 6d tier mile each for! two or mote persons. The charge for time will be ISs for the fire* hour, 12s 6d for the second hour, ,and 10s for every additional hour. For a fractional part of an hour— viz., a quarter, half, or three-quarters of an hour-— the charge shall be pro rata. The hirer shall 'have the option of paying by time or distance. Detention: For every fifteen minutes or fractional part of same after the first five minutes, the charge shall be Is 6d. Special orders for night work to be charged by time at the following rates : Between 7 p.m. and midnight, 15s per hour; between midnight and 6 a,m., 25s per hour; minimum for any special order shall be 55." • Mr. Spry, in conclusion, points ot<t that these suggestions are made only as a guide in the drafting of by-laws. HOCKEY. NELSON v. WELLINGTON. The following is the Wellington team to play against Nelson in the Shield match at Day's Bay to-morrow :— Dwyer, M'Eldowfley, Kibblewhite, C, Strack, G. Strack, Thompson, Campbell (captain)/ Parton, Salek, G. Davies, and Loader. Th^ need for improving the bathing facilities at the Petone beach Is generally recognised, but so far little or nothing has been done. The Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) ie anxious that something should be accomplished during tho coming summer, and at next Monday's mee-ting of the council he will move in the direction of asking the engineer to report, Tho discussion should bo an interesting one, a* it is likely to reveal what the councillors' views afe hi re- , gaard, to; the imfA'owmefit of the fore*