CAR PARKING

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 119, 16 November 1936, Page 10

CAR PARKING

THEATRE TRAFFIC

SELF-APPOINTED ATTENDANTS

NOBODY WANTS THEM

More than once the question of whether it is desirable or not to hays private people acting as so-called attendants at parking places in the city at night has come under the notice of the City Council. While some motorists are absolutely opposed to the practice there are others who take a more lenient view, perhaps give the man a "tip" now and again, and have no violent objection to him or the supervisory manner he adopts, provided ha is reasonable. But apparently there are times when they are apt to overstep the bounds. What happened in this instance was such as to suggest that the whole question of these selfappointed motor-car parking attendants needs looking into again.

There are perhaps six or more places in the city, near picture theatres principally, where these men operate. They may have a union or some little organisation of their own, now'that unionism is so popular, which recognises certain men for specific parking places, but they certainly have no authority from the City Council to direct motorists nor have they been appointed for the purpose by the city authorities.

In point of fact there is a bylaw, tha terms of which would seem to prohibit at any rate any directions being given by these men to a motorist, but apparently as long as the "attendants" are behaving themselves a tolerant view is taken officially and the practice of self-appointed attendants continues. As has been stated some motorists do not object, but there are others who regard the thing as a "racket" and consider that it is time the City Council stepped in and suppres:i>d it. Though these "attendants" have no authority from the council one of them at a parking place in the vicinity of the St. James Theatre, according to the complaint of a woman motorist, acted on Saturday night in a way which suggested he had supreme control and disturbed her peace of mind for tha rest of the evening. "YOU CAN'T PARK HERE:" With her mother and young brother she pulled into a space she saw in the line of parked cars. Then the "attendant" came along. "You can't park here!" he said in a very definite tone of voice. "This is my stand." She was just beginning to think that perhaps it would be as well to find some other parking place, when two men who had heard the "attendant." advised her to leave her car where it was. This she decided to do. "I'll tell Mr. Semple. I'll tell Mr. Semple," said the "attendant," when he saw that she did not intend removing her car. The woman felt that this was a matter which did not concern Mr. Semple and told the "attendant" that she would report him. While she stood her ground she admitted today that all the time she was at the theatre her peace of mind was disturbed, and she-could not help wondering if her car would be all right when she went to collect it later. . . -,■■_■ ■ _\ ■~., .; This case - was mentioned to the chairman of the bylaws committee, who suggested that the woman concerned should make it the subject of a complaint officially. DIRECTIONS OFTEN WRONG. "I cannot see the necessity for the socalled car-watchers who frequent the city parking-places at nights," said a Wellington motorist today. "There are very few motorists on the roads who are not capable of parking their own vehicles, and it is very annoying to a skilful motorist to be bothered by an 'attendant who shouts out 'turn your wheel left,' or 'straighten up,' or some other such direction —often erroneous. I don't think that anyone would grudge an attendant sixpence if he were required, and performed some service that was appreciated by the motorist, but I fail to see why a motorist who is capable of parking his car without fuss or bother should be pestered by these individuals.' On several occasions recently when I have parked in the city at night I have been bothered quite unnecessarily by. these self-appointed watchers, whose 'a.rvices' have been forced upon Hie whether I *.vanted them or- not."