AUTOMOBILE CLUB

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 51, 5 March 1929, Page 14

AUTOMOBILE CLUB

SCHOOL-GATE BARRIERS

PARKING AT DAY'S BAY

Mr. F. Manton (president) presided at the monthly meeting of the executive of the Wellington Automobile Club last night, the other members present being Messrs. A. J. Curtis, I. V. Wilson, K. Oswin, Warburton, H. W. Lawrence, and H. J. Stott (secretary).

It was decided to hold a social evening for past and present officers of the club next month. The guests will include tho Prime Minister (the Bight Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) and the Minister of Transport (the Hon. W. A. Veiteh).

It was resolved to ask the headmaster of the Willis Street School to report as to the efficiency or otherwise of the barrier erected at the cost of the club in front of the gateway of the fhool. Mr. Curtis, Mr. Wilson, and others expressed the opinion that the barrier would be far more effective if it were extended ten feet at each end.

Mr. Manton remarked that similar barriers were needed in front of the gateways of other schools. \ letter was received from the Public Works Department stating that the middle of the road white marks on the Ngahauranga Gorge road had , been damaged owing to the softness of the bitumen in the hot weather. The lines would be renewed when the weather was cooler.

The date of the children's outing was altered to Saturday, 9th March.

It was reported that two of the club's signboards at Palmerston North had been defaced. It was resolved to have them replaced with triangles bearing the name of'the club, and that if any further defacement occurred legal action should be taken.

Fifty-two new members were elected,

A letter was received from the Public Works Department, stating that it was prepared to subsidise the erection of signboards at dangerous- corners on the Akatarawa road.

The secretary wa3 instructed to write to the Hutt County Council stressing the necessity for i proper regulation of the traffic and the parking of motorcars at Day's Bay.

Mr. Wilson observed that the jam of cars there had been so bad of late that if a fire,took place not a car would be left. They simply could not get out. Mr. Curtis suggested that an assistant to Mr. Stott be appointed, and that a thorough canvass be made for new members. He pointed out that Auckland had only 15 members short of 10,000. Though, of course, Auckland had a much bigger area, the Wellington Automobile Club should have far more members than at present. Mr. Curtis was asked to go into the matter with the secretary, and report as to what new activities could with advantage bo undertaken by tbe club.

The financial statement showed that' the Club had £3378 in hand—Bank balance, £680; Post Office balance, £1649; inscribed stock, £1049.

It was resolved to deposit £1000 on call in the bank at 5 per cent.

The executive decided to defend the case of Mr. G. Shirtcliffe, summoned for exceeding the speed limit of fifteen miles an hour at Petone; and, if necessary, to appeal the case to the Supreme Court as a protest against the unreasonableness of the speed limit. THANKS PROM UPPER HUTT. A letter was received from the Upper Hutt Borough Council thanking the club for the danger signs erected on the main road near Trentham School. Mr.. Wilson: "It is about tho qnly local body that ever writes and thanks us for our trouble." . « ■ , On the motion of Mr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. Warburton, it was decided to ask the members of the City and Suburban Highways Board to bring up before that body the question of the new railway bridge pier on the Hutt road, with a view to getting a representative [ deputation to wait upon the Prime Minister to urge upon him the necessity for removing the pier.

The decision was arrived at after discussing a letter from Mr. J. D. Holmes, engineer, in %vhich he strongly condemned the pier as a menace to life and limb.

Mr. Wilson and the president and tho secretary wore appointed a committee to consider the question of issuing Guide Books for 1930. It waß resolved to have parking-place maps of Wellington printed, and to issue a copy to all club members. STREET DANGERS. The secretary was instructed to write the Wellington City Council calling attention to the fact that motor-cars and ! trucks, etc., were • still coming down Woodward street, and that serious accidents had occurred. It was also' complained that the tramcars did not obey the traffic signals at Courtenay place, thus encouraging motorists and others.

Mr. Wilson called attention to the necessity-for sign-posting the road over Mt. Victoria to make it safe for visitors. The bad state of the road was also commented on. .

Mr. Curtis stressed the need for a ramp to take the road over the railway siding into the Graceficld Estate, in the industrial area at'Potohe,'just beyond the Pipe bridge.