AUTOMOBILE CLUB

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 82, 3 October 1931, Page 10

AUTOMOBILE CLUB

THE ANNUAL REPORT SERVICE TO MEMBERS The report of the Wellington Automobile Club for the-year "ended ■ 31st August is to hand. The membership is given as' 5128, an inereaso of 603 over the previous year, due to a certain extent, it is stated, to the work of the service officers, but tho executive takes the opportunity of placing on record the large number of instances where Mew members have enrolled <as a direct xesult of the efforts of mombera of the club. ■'-~..•■ '":.■'■ The year's operations resulted in an excess of expenditure over income of & JO2B 8s 7d, reducing the Accumulated Fund to £2290 10s Id. Outstanding subscriptions amounted to £490 10s 6d, an increase over last year's figtire, but in tho" light of present conditions mombors wouM be gratified to know that in comparison with' other similar institutions the clnl) is in an exceptionally satisfactory position. The executive has not relaxed its efforti to collect outstanding subscriptions on this ac.co.unt,,. as it accepts the collection of subscriptions as one of its most important duties to tho club. On the other hand, it relics on members themselves to meet their financial obligations and thereby enable it* to extend every possible service to them. Following the usual practice, the executive has not taken the amount of the, outstanding subscriptions into the books of account, as it ia not possible, with any degree of accuracy, to assess what amount will be collected. In connection with the doficit of £1028 8s 7d, the executive points out that the expenditure for the year included a contribution of £500 for the relief of distress in the area affected by the earthquake in

Hawkes Bay, and tlie expenditure; on guide books and maps was very heavy. | Guide books accounted for £ 536 4a 4d, and maps £689 ..14s sd. The total amount spent on the issue of guide I books was actually £836 4s 4d, after I deducting £118 2s 6d received for advertisements appearing in the issue.' A sum of £300, however, representing stock in hand, had been carried over, and would appear as a charge against noxt year's accounts. The expenditure on maps next year should not exceed £300, as against £089 14s 5d this year. The total-amount involved in these three items alone was £1725 lSs* 9d, and in the ordinary course of events there should be a reduction of about £1100 on them next year. Most1 other items of expenditure wore fairly consistent with- those of previous years. A signpost' Subsidy amounting to £237: 5s 7d was received from the Main'High-. , ways Board. ' - ; THE EARTHQUAKE. j The report deals with the ■ work of j the organisation ;in connectioirwith the earthquake, Mid the generous response members made in co-operation with the club. The lesson to be learned is that the motor organisations of the Dominion could at very short notice take up an immense amount of; the transport work of a nature it would be almost impossible to organise without permanently established institutions like the motor clubs. Recognition is made of the assistance and help from the Broadcasting Company which made the quick response possible. V; , SERVICE OFFICERS. "One of. the most, important parts of the club's operations.is that of aervice to members per medium of the club's service officers, of whom tliarc are' now four, an additional pne having been, appointed during tho year. ] 'JThfci total number of cases in which assistance was rendered by the service /officers was 992. While in a numbflr of cases the assistance was given in,'connection with, the übiquitous puncture, in a large percentage-of cases this setvice rendered was <if. a' mbchanical nature; '■■' It is rather difficult to put into monetary value what tho assistance meant to members, but ,'iiv any case your:' executive feels that tho building Up'of our,outside staff is ;n»ard than justified. As a matter of fact1 tho re-1 tiring executive has no hesitation in j saying that'as soon as incrosecd membership .will permit it would ibe advisable to still further increase the num-1

ber of scivico officers. A point which should receive tha consideration of tlio nevv" executive is service organisation on Sundays and holidays. The timo is approaching when thfs office of the club should bo kept open during the peak hours of motoring on Sundays and holidays, thereby enabling contact to be kept with the service officers. Wo do not think, however,■•that wo have yet reached tho sta&o where night patrol can bo put into/operation." . HEADLIGHT TESTING. Another service . established during the.year was, that in connection with headlight testing. The executive could not stress too/strongly the great danger existing on/account of badly focused headlights; There'was no doubt a large percentage iof accidents > /-during., the night were i caused by glaring headlights. Th<e danger was -not1 only bc'twecu mptforists ;but also involved pedestriaiip and cyclists. During August, Stervico officers were stationed at the four city headlight testing stands weekly for the purposeof helping members to focug their lights. Altogether 167 merabers were assisted. The number wasl'disappointing as the executive was satisfied there were a great many more ■ cars on.'which headlights were badly jfoensed. ■■■'■■■. ; Arrangements were being made for testing /stands at- Petone and Lower Hiitt,/and also at Levin. Tlio executive) placed on record the helpful co-opera-tion .ioivn by tl»e: City Council Traffic Department, and: a .similar spirit was :bemg evidenced with" other boroughs. The incoming executive was recommeinded, to ' again place the service: officers on duty at the city stands before, CTiristmas. ;' ■ . ■-.- ' ■ LEGAL DEFENCE. A very important service brought into force on Ist March, 1931, was that Of legal defence for financial members. This service was in addition to the free legal advice which members had been enjoying in the past. The defence was in respect of any prosecutions or threatened prosecutions by the police, or any local body for a breach of bylaws or of the Motor Regulations, or any summary offence relating to a motor /vehicle, The , system followed w ( as that any member concerned in any tao.seeution or, threatened prosecution might call upon the club's solicitor, Mr. P. H. Putnam, who'would advise as to the1/ best courso ,to !bo * taken/ and whether'a prosecution should or should not t>e defended.! If the club's solicitor advised that, a prosecution should not ba defended,!he would if desired by the member1 attend -at the Court when the dharge was dealt with. If on the other hand the club's'solicitor considered that tho prosecution Should bo defended, he would act\ accordingly. The scheme, was a trial one, and, indications so far pointed to- its satisfactory/operation. In addition to ; the .club's solicitor in Wellington arrangements have been made with solicitors in a number of

cities and towns of the North Island to act as agents. ... ■ TAXATION. "Members will have noticed since our last annual meeting that, probably duo to the serious economic conditions prevailing throughout the Dominion, there lias been a decided tendency on tho part of the Government, and certain members of Parliament to impose heavier taxation on the road user, mainly to relieve the rural ratepayer, and with the ultimate object of a national system of, derating. The executive lias devoted a considerable amount of time and thought in , protecting, in an equitable way, the iutcrests of members and road users generally. This is only one of the many aspects of road users' mutual interests which point to "the desirability and in fact necessity of our club membership being increased. The executive, therefore, relics upon'every member using licr or his influence with motor- \ ista who "are not-'members at present^ to join up. "Whilst wo. must combine to. protect ourselves as motorists the couutry is passing through a yory seri-j ous crisis, and we niust bo prepared to! shoulder a fair portion of responsibility and taxation if it will.be a means of restoring the country to a normal state of prosperity." Several matters of more geucral public interest were; published in our'news columns during'the week.