SAFETY FIRST CAMPAIGN

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 24 August 1935, Page 8

SAFETY FIRST CAMPAIGN

MOTOR UNION’S MOVE SCHEME TO SPEND £70,000 VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS CONTRIBUTE. A national safety first campaign involving the expenditure of £70,000 within a period of .seven to ten years was adopted in principle hy the North Island Motor Union at its annual conference in New Plymouth yesterday. Promises of contributions amounting to £SBOO were reported and it is proposed to approach trading insurance companies, oil companies and pther trading concerns connected with motoring for further contributions. The Government is then to be -asked to subsidise the fund till it reaches the £70,000 required.

Arrangements at yesterday’s conference, which was most enthusiastic over the proposal, reached the stage of : a - special committee being set up to approach possible contributors and the Government. Contributions were promised as follow: North Island automobile associations, £2300; North Island Motor Union Insurance Company, £2300; South Island Motor Union insurance Company, £I2oO; Wairarapa Automobile Association Mutual Insurance Company, £250. Ihe proposal was yet to be put before the South Island Motor Union. On the administration side it is proposed that the fund be controlled bv a national council comprising representatives of the various contributing bodies; that is the motor unions, the motor union insurance companies, the trading insurance companies and other organisations. The policy which will be followed by the council regarding the safety first campaign was not laid down, but Information and data is to be gathered from overseas. The formnlator of the scheme, Mr E. A. Batt, of the Automobile Association (Wellington) Executive did suggest that ,a suitable start might be made among school children, but he merely outlined the broad principles of his scheme.

RESTRICTED SPEED OF MOTORS

Mr Batt prefaced his remarks by indicating that he had never sUimported a 30 m.p.h. speed limit, though this statement had been attributed to him. However, the increasing number of road casualties and fatalities had seriously concerned him. He had felt for some time that something should be done, but the Government had remained inactive. “This loss of life, both from a humane and an economic point of view,- should not be allowed to go on,’ said the speaker. “Strenuous efforts are being made in England to deal with this difficult problem. I have stated before if deaths and road casualties go on increasing at the rate they are increasing, it is reasonable to expect that the authorities, whom 1 believe are watching very closely Mi Hore-Belisha’s campaign in England, will adopt some of the principles being put into operation there.” It appeared that the union would be doing the right thing in attempting tj solve the problem as an organised body. The associations in England had made the mistake, according' tc 'Press comment, of doing nothing. Now the English associations complained of the irksome regulations brought down as part of the safety campaign. “I have made the statement that ii this killing went on we would find it very difficult to defend ourselves against irksome regulations—probably the imposition of the 30 m.p.h. speed limit.” The speaker felt that the question was the most important to be considered by the conference; it was a matter of life and death. It was uppermost in the public mind to-day, it being impossible to pick up a news-, paper without reading of road accidents and fatalities. The whole question was “getting on the public’s mind.”

In six years there had been 105 C deaths from road accidents; last year the figure was 182, and for six months of the present year 94. Last year there had been 7000 accidents involving injury and damage to property. For a small country like New Zealand the figures were appalling, though the speaker could not say how the* compared with the statistics in other countries with denser population and a greater volume of traffic, as the New Zealand Government did not collect comprehensive figures or analyse itfc statistics in regard to accidents. The problem of prevention could be tackled from so many angles that something should be done.

“Who is going to do it?” asked All Batt. “I think we should, for every reason. It is our job; we are the motorists. Action will indicate to the Government that we are endeavouring to do something to minimise this huge economic loss. This little country can’t afford to lose lives as it is. It doesn’t matter what a life is worth in money. I ask you to consider this matter most seriously. NEGLIGENCE OF PEDESTRIANS. Continuing. Air Batt said that 50 per cent, of accidents involving the death of pedestrians had been proved to be due to the negligence of pedestrians themselves. It was therefore necessary to do something to educate pedestrians in the right and safe way to uso tho road. The difficulty was that many people were using the roads in the same careless way as pedestrians were 25 years ago, when there were no motor-cars. The union would have to take a long and national view of the problem. “I have got clown a five-year plan—r’’ “AVlty stop at five years?” asked Air A- Grayson (Auckland). Sir Britt then went on to outline a plan of action. ; Air II: W. Short (Wellington) moved that . the. conference formally approve of and - endorse Air Batt’s scheme This was seconded by Air G. W. Hutchison (Auckland) and adopted. Mr N. C. C. Shepherd (Wairarapa)

then moved that the president and Messrs Hutchison, Batt, W. R. Carey (5.1.M.U.) and the secretary (Air W. G. AVo.lkley) he a sub-committee to go further into the question. “Our directors agree that the North Island Motor Union Insurance Company is prepared to pub in £2000,” said Air B. L. Donne, chairman ot directors, amidst applause. “I should say that Air Donne’s lead will be followed by the South Island company,” said Air W. R. Carey, of the South Island Alotor Union Insurance Company. Dr W. D. Fitzgerald (Hawke’s Bay) suggested that delegates take responsibility for their associations, thus facilitating the launching of the scheme. The president did not think this could be done, but his remarks were followed by offers of support from delegates of the AVairarapa, Wanganui. Taranaki, Alanawatu, South Taranaki. Hawke’s Bay, AVellington and Auckland associations. The sub-corn in ittee suggested, with the addition of Air Johnston, was then set up.