AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION

Evening Star, Issue 22990, 22 June 1938, Page 13

AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE A meeting of the executive of the Automobile Association (Otago) was held last night. There was a good attendance of members, the president (Mr P. W. Breen) being in the chair. CORRESPONDENCE. It was decided to support the application for assistance in having improvements carried out to the Owaka-Pouua-wea road. The Chairman said that the Public Works Department had stated that representation should be made to the Clutha County Council, which was the responsible authority, and the Highways Board might subsidise the work if it was found to be justified. The secretary of the Roslyn and Kaikorai Ratepayers’ Association wrote drawing the attention of the association to oerain danger points in the district, and asking for support in its representations to the City Council. — The matter was referred to the Safety First Committee.

A letter was received from, the town clerk in reply to a letter from the association pointing out a danger point at the intersection of Queen’s Drive and Wallace street on the Town Belt. The writer stated that the council’s Public Works Committee had considered the matter, and instructions had been given for work to be carried out which should obviate the danger. The District Public Works Engineer wrote in reply to a letter forwarded by the association drawing attention to difficult driving conditions which existed in the Cromwell Gorge, where apparently no provision had been made for the road surface water to escape, with the result that after rain the water covered the surface in many places. The engineer stated that the road had been newly gravelled, and had not consolidated, thus holding the water. Since consolidation had taken place no further trouble had been experienced. _ . The District Highways Engineer wrote in regard to complaints lodged by the association stating that they were being investigated and the necessary repairs would be effected. DAMAGE BY TAR. The secretary had forwarded a letter to the district engineer of the Public Works Department complaining of damage caused to members’ cars by tar on the Kartigi Beach section of the Main North road. The letter stated that members had been advised of the necessity of the work, and that care must be exercised when negotiating the portions of the road which were being sealed. It was understood that the operation was to be carried out on one side of the road at a time, but it appeared that this was not being done. A reply was received from the district engineer stating that during actual spraving all cars were stopped and warned to proceed slowly, but these warnings were frequently ignored. Referring to the method adopted, the writer said that half the width of the road was sprayed for a lengh for half the day, when it was gritted and thrown open to traffic, which was warned. The remaining side was then primed and barricaded off, and marked with lights until the following day. If only half the width of the road was dealt with at a time and then allowed to dry this would mean that the second half could not be primed until about the third day. This would be risky, as it was almost impossible to maintain the second half by grading, and should rain' intervene, potboling would occur immediately. Instructions bad been issued to the foreman in charge to make still further efforts to avoid the

trouble complained of, and to spread more grit if absolutely necessary. DANGEROUS POLES. A letter was received from the Secretary of the Dunedin Junior Chamber of Commerce regarding the dangerous proximity of telegraph and power poles to the flow of traffic on the mam roads. The chamber was of the opinion that many accidents had needlessly fatal results when cars left the road and crashed into the poles Whilst realising the enormous cost which would be involved if all the poles were to be shifted, the chamber considered that' when new roads were built or reconstruction took place, poles should be placed at a safe distance from the side of the road'. It was explained by the_ Chairman that when roads were being reconstructed aud the work left a pole near the fairway, the P. and T. Department was notified, and it was removed. The telegraph and power poles were off the road in most instances, but where one was so situated that it might constitute a. danger, the department would always favourably consider any representations. It was decided to inform the chamber that if specific cases could be cited, an attempt would bo made to have something done. SOUTH ISLAND UNION. Messrs J. L. Passmore, Hi H. Henderson, and H. S. Reid, delegates to the quarterly meeting of the South Island Motor Union, submitted a report on the deliberations of the last meeting. WINTER SHOW. The Secretary reported that the stall maintained at the Winter Show was most successful. _ Safety first was stressed, and during the week 34 new members bad signed up, while a number of back subscriptions had been collected. The secretary was complimented on the success of the stall. MEMBERSHIP. It was reported that 155 new members had been elected, which, with the membership of 4,430 previously registered, brought the total to 4,585. Thera had been 31 resignations, leaving a neb total of 4,554 members. SIGNPOSTING. The report of the Signposting Committee stated that the two patrol officers had been employed on signposting for two weeks, and the signs authorised at the previous meeting were almost completed; 129'school signs had been erected, and requests for additional signs were still being received.The matter of a sign at the George street bridge was left in the hands of Mr T. Y. Turner to investigate.and report. It was suggested that a possible way out of the difficulty would be to 1 widen the road at this point.