“Most Lethal Thing on the Road”

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1947, Page 5

“Most Lethal Thing on the Road”

“The motor-cycle is the most lethal thing on the road,” said the Commissioner of Transport (Mr G, L. Laurenson), when asked by a member of the Nelson Automobile Association if the Road Safety Council had considered motor-cycles ana their contribution to road accidents. The commissioner added that motorcycles were involved in about three times as many accidents as private cars. Anybody whose boy rode a motor-cycle should assume that he was taking a great risk of being killed or injured. Hot Summer was Predicted High temperatures in the first half of this year, followed by a cold winter were forecast in November by a Christchurch resident, Mr. Clinton Wilson. Mr Wilson at that time predicted: “From December 31 to May 31. 1947, will be a hot and dry period, With temperatures ranging from 80 to 90 degrees at times. Sevoral violent electrical storms between the heat periods can be expected.’’ Mr Wilson even went so far as to forecast an “erratic and very cold winter next year.” Mr Wilson said he based his forecasts on sunspot activity. Bad weather always followed sunspots for periods of up to three months after the sunspots disappeared.