MOTORING

Evening Star, Issue 17710, 11 July 1921, Page 7

MOTORING

[By Cakbuueitoe.]

Brief accounts of holiday trips, roads, and places of interest are invited for this column. SCHOOL—.DRIVE SLOWLY. On busy thoroughfares in the vicinity of public schools notices with the above instruction should be erected. The uafeh of the lives and limbs of the thousands of pupils attending our schools demands every reasonable precaution. Even from the economic standpoint, the value of each child to tho Dominion is considerable, sufficient to cover the cost .of a multitude of such notices. But from higher confederations tho demand is equally insistent. Colossal sums of money are spent in tho education of our children—theii physical development and health arc regarded as of primary importance to the State. Wo have medical officers, physical instructors, school nurses and dentists, all striving to make the young Isew Zealanders in health and physique a model to the world.

But the children could bo further safeguarded. Modem traffic has brought increased dangers, and dangers that beset tho child (because of his natural thoughtlessness) more than the adult. Approximately 28 per cent, of all persons killed by automobiles are children under fifteen years of age. And those who are a position-to judge are convinced that notice boards as suggested above are a real safeguard. Visitors, and even local roadusers. are often unaware of their proximity to a school, but with the alertness necessary to the present-day road-user a warning notice is roadilv observed. Moreover, the fact that an accident to a child near one of these notices would probably .'0 harder with a driver juf a vehicle if In, failed to drive slowly would prove a strong incentive For those concerned to observe a reasonable speed. —Who Should Erect These Notices?— Different school committees have applied to the O.M.C. for them. The club sent a deputation to the Otago Education Board, which has so far declined to move m the matter The City Council has also declined to do the work. It is obviously not q work for tho Motor Club. Their particular sphere is the interests of the motorist, such as the improvement ot roads and the lessening of or a removing of dangers to the motorist, not of dangers to other people. , ’ , , Nor can it be said to be the work of a citv, suburban, or county council. It comes practically within the sphere of the education authorities —either the department. the boards, or school committees. The Otaco Education Board may maintain ■that iho limit of ite jurisdiction is the school fence, and that it does not in clad c •possible dangers in the street outside. Tins would, however, bo inconsistent with its attitude over children who arc employed early and late on milk carts and newspaper runs, and whose health and school efficiency suffer thereby. If the board cannot get tho Education Department to take the matter up, in my humble opinion the board should do the work itself. But it the board turns a deaf ear to the entreaties of its school committees then the school committees should do the woik themselves. In most cases' the Government would then pay, after all.

ROAD IMPROVEMENT,

Lad, Mondav evening a deputation from the Otao-o Motor Club waited upon the members of the Green Island Borough Council. The deputation, which consisted of Messrs A. E. Anscll, J. A. Roberts. M. Stevenson, and the writer, urged upon the council the need for cutting back the bluff at the quarry corner on the Green Island side of Lookout Point. During the course of the discussion it was mentioned that no lew than fifteen people had been taken Into the house of Mr in hired throußh accidents at this spot. This section of the road was recognised as a von' busy, albeit n very dangerous, one, and the improvement would be a boon to road-users in general, the proposal was to a-rranee for the acquirement of the necessary land, the removal of jroTtiou of the high bluff on 'the left-hand side '•ming south, and the filling in of the two corners on the rifrht-hnnd side he one just below the bluff the other near the junction of the Main South road and the new road from Corstorp-nino. The relations between the council ana the Motor Club have’been most cordial, and the “reception accorded the club s representatives* by the mayor and councillors of the suburban liorougb was in keeping with those relations. As , a .* Green Island Council has decided to arrant for a conference between representatives of.the Taieri County, City and Green Island Councils, and the Otago Motor Club. It is orilv fair to mention that the need for improving This corner at the old quarry has been under discussion more than once by the local borough council.