CITY TRAFFIC.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 2 March 1926, Page 9

CITY TRAFFIC.

MOTORISTS AND POINT POLICE

A WELLINGTON DISCUSSION

(By Telegraph.—Specia l to the Star.)

WELLINGTON. March 2

Discussing traffic control in city streets at a Wellington Motor Association meeting, a member, Mr Ho’dsworth, declared: “I think, that the worst men are put on point duty. It a constable has a black mark against him he is put at th e points for a certain number of hours.” The association had written to> the City Council requesting that policemen on point duty should control pedestrian as well as vehicular traffic, and the Town Clerk had replied that this had been referred to the Commissioner of Police for his consideration. The secretary remarked that men trained to traffic duty were then transferred to other towns. When it was suggested that- the city traffic inspector attend an association meeting, a member remarked, “Don’t 'et the inspector come here and make a speech: but approach him quietly and get his opinion. The city pays the police.” Mr Holdsworth :“They pay, but they have no control.” He complained that policemen frequently waved motorists on when there were pedestrians in the way. “I have often refused to go on when he called me,” he said, “because a woman was, in the road. I said, “Look at the woman.’ ” Mr Gorilberg: They will arrest you if you do that. Mr Holdsworth : “Well, let them arrest me. I will let the Bobby call me and gesticulate if I want to. I think they put the worst men on if they get a black mark. The meeting decided to authorise the secretary to approach the inspector on the matter.

Police authorities in the city strongly deny that any point duty men in the Dominion have that duty because of black marks. All are trained in traffic control on lines that have been approved bv the police aeffninistration of Australia and New Zealand in conference. /