The Hawera Star. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1924. PROPOSED AUTOMOBILE CLUB.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 August 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1924. PROPOSED AUTOMOBILE CLUB.

Delivered every evening ty 6 o’clock in flawere, Manaia. Norman by. Okaiawa, El tham, Paten, Waverley, Mokoia, WLakamara, Oaangai, Meremere. Fraser Bead, and Otakeuo. Manutahi, Alton, Burieyville, Manga Ka pongs, Awatuna, Opunake,

South. Taranaki, with its many miles of tar-sealed roads, is one of the leading motoring districts in New Zealand, but there is no organised body of motorists in the district. Some years ago an association was formed, Mr. A. W. Webster being the honorary secretary, and during its existence that body did very good work, and many of the danger signs and direction posts in the district were erected through its efforts. The association ceased to exist about ten years ago, and though the formation of an Automobile Club has been suggested from time to time, no definite move has hitherto been made. During the decade there has been an enormous increase in the number of cars in use in the district, and there has been a corresponding increase in traffic, and it is thought that motorists should form an Automobile Club to serve this district. At the meeting of the New Zealand Automobile Union in Wellington last week, it was decided that Mr. L. Ashcroft Edwards, a member of the executive, should visit Hawera and deliver an address, and a meeting has been called for Friday evening at the Borough Council Chambers to meet Mr. Edwards and to form an Automobile Club. No doubt Mr. Edwards will set before those present many good reasons why a. club should be formed in South Taranaki. Fears are expressed in some quarters that under the Main Highways Act the motorist may b© called upon to pay heavy taxes in order to provide the revenue, and

it is thought that motorists in their own interests should be organised sc that they can in a Ice representations to the Government in the matter. But an Automobile Club should not be a body engaged only in resisting attack, and there is much valuable constructive work which such a club should be able to do. Uniformity of road signs, which has been drawn up by a Highways Board Committee for reference to all associations for their opinions, is one question with which the Automobile Club could deal. The club may also' give valuable assistance to‘local bodies upon questions'concerning roads, dangerous corners, grades, width of roads and suggestions to help in the proper control of traffic. \Ve suppose that in motoring, as in almost everything, there will always be some people who, by neglecting to recognise their responsibilities, will break the laws and be a menace to the safety and well-being of the community. An Automobile Club, representing careful and reasonable motorists, should be able to exercise an important influence upon those who may be inclined to be reckless. The wandering stock nuisance, to which we have frequently drawn attention, is another question of great importance, and a club would be able to urge upon local authorities the need for a stricter application of by-laws in this respect. A club would have plenty of scope for its activities, and the most important would he its attitude towards traffic control in both town and country. In other countries the question is receiving careful attention, and one notes that American papers record that the State of New York on July 1 came under what the New York Times described as “the most drastic motor vehicle law ever enacted;” From that date heavy fines with the option of as much as sixty days in gaol and with the threat to revoke licenses were specified to be in waiting for law-breakers, and especially drastic punishment was to be inflicted upon those guilty of driving motor vehiiclesi while intoxicated or leaving the scene of an accident without stopping and giving their numbers and addresses. \Ve have referred to some of the very important matters which should occupy the attention of an Automobile Club, and we hope that there will be a hearty response by motorists to the invitation of the convenors to form a club in South Taranaki, and that when formed it will exercise a strong and beneficial influence and prove of great advantage to the large body of motorists and to the people as a whole. The outline of the main provisions of the Motor Vehicles Bill, which our Wellington correspondent has sent, and which appears in this issue, should provide the club, when it is formed, with many points for interesting discussion. The Bill indicates that strong efforts are to- be made to put down recklessness.