AUTOMOBILE CLUB

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 104, 30 October 1923, Page 2

AUTOMOBILE CLUB

ANNUAL REPORT

CONDITION OF VARIOUS ROADS.

The annual rejkrt of the Wellington Automobile Club states that the income i i '£> year, exceeded the expenditure by £162, and the accumulated fund now stands at £1014, of which £933 is invested in war bonds and in the Post Office Savings Bank. The number of new members elected during the year was 301, and 46 were struck off the register or resigned. The committee regrets that there are still many motorists who have not yet joined the club, and hopes that before the end of next year all local motorists will become members). Ihe question of better roads received the closest attention of the committee In conjunction with , other bodies, it waited upon the City Council to urge an early start, in laying the new surface on the Hutt road, and it is expected that this work will be put in hand during the coming summer. A deputation also waited upon the Hutt' bounty Council in regard to the condition _ of its roads generally and to the iJay s Bay road in particular. The club offered the Hutt County Council £50 towards the cost of an engineer's report on its roads, but the offer was declined. Other arrangements, however, wera made for a report, which it is hoped will be published, shortly. .A successful protest was made against the erection of a toll gate on the Day's Bay road. During the year the new road to Waikanae was opened, and many motorists will no doubt enjoy the round tour during the coming summer. The City Council was urged to have the Forts road reopened, and it shouid be again available to motorists at an early date. The club offered to contribute £100 towards the coet of fencing the Paekakariki Hill road (north side), but the offer has not yet been accepted by the Hutt County Council, nor has this desired work been carried out.

As a result of repeated requests the club was successful in having the railway lines along Jervois quay taken up and the surface of the road repaired, ln addition, many other improvements to the city roads were carried out at the request of the committee. Many members will have, noticed the great improvement both to the Paekakariki and the Rimutaka roads, and credit is due to the engineers of the Public Work« Department for the- manner in which this work is being carried out.

It is with the utmost regret that the committee has to report that although it made every effort to get the Motor Vehicles Bill_ passed during the recent session of Parliament it was unsuccessful. It is, however, practically certain that the Bill will be passed next session. Numerous signpost* and danger signals were erected during-the year, and many more are now ready to be put up, including a,-notice board on the Hutt road indicating whether the Paekakariki and the Rimutaka Hills and the Manawatu Gorge are open or closed for traffic. Large scale maps of the North Island can now be viewed at the secretary's office. These show all roadß coloured to denote bitumen, metalled, and unmetalled.