MOTORISTS’ INTERESTS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 15 September 1928, Page 6

MOTORISTS’ INTERESTS

SOUTH TARANAKI ASSN. THE STRATFORD BRANCH. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. Th© annual meeting of the Stratford branch of the Sonth Taranaki Automobile Association drew an attendance of 20 to the Stratford Borough Council Chambers last evening. Mr. D. J. Malone, president of the branch ■and also of the association, occupied the chair. Messrs. W. G. Walkley (the association secretary) and G. J. Bayley represented the Hawera executive. . . ' “It is very pleasing indeed that we can claim to have had such a successful year,” said the president in moving the adoption of the report. “The progress the association has made indicates pretty surely that the public and motorists generally are appreciating the work of the association. The Stratford branch was established in 1927 with a membership of 124. When the year covered in the report closed the 'membership stood at 378. and since then a considerable number of members have been ‘added.” He referred to the activities of the association in connection with the erection of road signs and' in its successful application to the controlling authorities for attention to dangerous crossings and bends and portions of roads which could be rendered more safe to traffic. ORGANISATION BENEFITS. It had to be considered that an organised body could make representations in the common interest with much better result than those put forward by individuals, and this was being appreciated generally. Particularly in regard to affording _ a . safeguard against undue hardship in the incidence of taxation a strong 1 organisation could exercise a very beneficial influence, and it was one of the principal objects of the South Taranaki Automobile Association that the inter- j ests of motorists in that connection should he watched very carefully. Traversing further features of the report, the president mentioned (inter alia) the institution of service stations at the race meetings; steps being taken to provide suitable appointments on the -Stratford camp site, and_ the consideration by the general committee of the regulations before being gazetted. Referring to the desire of the association to co-operate in any steps towards educating the motoring public to a closer observance of tbe safety first principle, he called attention to the provision at Stratford of an exhibition model illustrating rules of the road. The report expressed appreciation of courtesies extended l by local body officials of. the district, the presi-) dent adding thanks to the branch committee chairman (Mr. S. A. Ward) and the secretary (Mr. A. J. Barr). The motion was seconded by Mr. S. A. Ward (chairman of the committee). Other speakers were Messrs. A. R. Masters, G. A. Carter and J. C. Allen. The motion was adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

The election of officers' resulted as follow: President, Mr. D. J. Malone (re-elected); vice-presidents, Messrs. J. W. M c MiH an (re-elected), T. R. Anderson and N. R. Cleland; town members of committee, Messrs. S. A. Ward, G. A. Carter, A. R. Masters, W. A. Betts (re-elected), J. S. Lyon's, C. Moore, A. H. Gaze; country members of committee, Messrs. E. W. Hancock, J. Bonner, M. Gernhoefer, J. Jacobsen, —. Adlam; secretary, Mr. A. J. Barr (re-elected). MUTUAL INSURANCE.

Jn inviting Mr Walkley to address the meeting, the pipsident referred to the mutual insurance scheme, objection to which had been voiced earlier in the meeting by Mr Ward and other speakers*.

“I am entirely in accord with the principal of mutual insurance for motorists and consider it is going to |be of great benefit to automobile association members throughout New Zealand,” said the president, Mr Wailkley' said .that delegates in attendance at the recent conference of the North Island Motor Union had been unanimously of the opinion that the advent of the mutual insurance scheme could no longer be delayed The Watrarapa. Association which had been the first to introduce the {principle in New Zealand had commenced its application iseveral years ago and now had an accumulated fund of oyer £IO,OOO. In the South Island, where the scheme had been ill operation oitly two years the accumulated fund stood ait an amount represented by fivj? figures. “There are probably hundreds of cars in New Zealand which are non insured and if insurance is mad© a. condition of membership—if motorists can be educated to insurance^ —vve will have a much improved condition of affairs,” said Mr Walkley. After referring to the successful operation, of the principle in other countries lie quoted figures showing that as compared with the •standard cost of policies in New Zealand motorists could, ini dor the mutual scheme, obtain a policy, pay the annual subscription to an association and still effect a saving of 275.

“Safety first.” Referring to-the'“safety finst” principle, Mr Walkley drew attention to a campaign conducted in Chicago last year and detailed steps he had taken with the co-operation of the New Zealand Publicity Department for an exchange of posters. It was proposed that whpn the American posters arrived they should he exhibited in schools and other places where they should prove of educational value. The South Taranaki Association membership was now nearly 1200, continued Mr Walkley. Whim the 2000 mark was reached it was hoped to institute road patrols. Such had been successfully introduced in.'the Auckland district where the patrols were of much assistance to travelling motorists and should prove equally beneficial in Taranaki. As the’ secretary of the association, Mr Walkley congratulated Straitford on the progress made with it branch and remarked upon the closer relationships between various centres of the district which) had been the outcome of the formation of the association. Mr Walkley was accorded a vote of thanks for his address. Congratulations to Stratford were also voiced by "Mr Bayley.