AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 79, 17 March 1923, Page 3

AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING. I The annual meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Automobile Association was held yesterday. Mr. P. S. McLean presiding. The annual report stated:—The Association was formed in the year 1911. Since, then it has endeavoured up to the limit of its finances to promote the interests of motorists from Napier to Woodville and Wairoa and Taupo. It has also as a member of. the New Zealand Automobile Union contributed to forwarding and protecting the interests of motorists throughout the Dominion. During the last year it has expended in this provincial district £ll2 14s lOd on direction posts, £lO on danger signals, and has contributed £27 15s to the union. For the past year it has received from members the sum of £B4 besides £23 in arrears. It has a membership of only 99. There are registered in Napier over 1600 automobiles, in Hawke’s Bay county about 3000 automobiles, and in Hastings 2000 more or less. These are exclusive of motor lorries and motor cycles. The Association desires to take this opportunity of acknowledging its indebtedness to the local bodies throughout the province for their assistance in erecting the danger posts and signal posts supplied by the Association, and to the press of Napier and Hastings lor its Courtesy ana assistance. The balance-sheet showed that the Association had £325 on fixed deposit in the bank and £2O 17s on current account. The president, in moving the adoption oi the report, said that the motoring public of Hawke’s Bay owed a large debt of gratitude to the tew who had carried on the work in this district of the Automobile Association. The report called attention to the fact thai while the Association had only 91 members, it had been acting in the service and for the benefit of nearly 7000 automobiles in Napier, Hastings, and the Hawke’s Bay county, exclusive of motor lorries and motor cycles. The Hawke's Bay Association had been in constant communication with the several County Councils interested in the roads /jetween Napier and Woodville, and between Napier and Wairoa. H had from time to time called the attention of a number of these toca* aodies to certain improvements desired, and to the necessity of erecting danger signals and direction posts, and hat at all times obtained their willing assistance. Through the Automobik L'nion #t exercised its influences in legislation. The net result of that a. present y. r aa that tne Mam Highway.' Act providing ror efficient main highways throughout New Zealand had become law. That Act. however, woulg

have to be supplemented by further legislation providing for thq tire tax. which, would constitute a large proportion of the income of the Main Highways Board. The Act provided for the application of all moneys received by the Crown in respect of licensing oi motor vehicles, and from Customs duties on tires, as well as from certain contributions from local authorities tc tne maintenance and construction oi these main highways. If there were nothing else to the credit of the Motoi Associations, this Alain Highways Act would in itself afford ample justification for expecting that all motorists throughout New Zealand should giv»the local Associations their support. This Association and the union gether had also exercised a very beneficial influence in the regulation o* speed limits, lighting, and registration. A conference was to ne held on 23 of representatives from the severa* counties in the provincial district oi Hawke’s Bay for the purpose of settling joint by-laws for the several counties in the provincial district, ana the Association had been invited to nominate two members. The joint bylaws had been drafted. Mr. Edgar, Air. Tylee and himself had gone through the draft, and were pleasea to say that it was extremely reasonable. At the same time there were a few suggestions which they proposeu to submit to the conference. One oi the regulations in the joint by-laws was to the effeqt that every motorist would have to take out a license for each car that he owned and used, and pay an annual license fee varying from £2 to £4 according to- the number of passengers which could be carried by these ears. The difficulty had presented itself of enabling motorists when travelling to avoid being made liable to take out another license when they travelled beyond the provincial district of Hawke’s Bay. This difficulty was provided for in the draft already mentioned. but it seemed to them that' something more definite and reassuring would be required, and it was proposed to submit this and some other amendments to the conference. The report and balance-sheet were adopted.

The following officers were elected;— President. Air. P. S. McLean; vicepresidents, Messrs J. S. Handyside and A. H. Glasgow; honorary treasurer, Air. F. S. Seaman; honorary auditor, Mr. A. C. Bennett: committee, Messrs B. Chambers. R. J. Duncan, P. Pattullo. N. Kettle. J. J. Keating, W. P.

Griffith. I{. W. Waterhouse. D. 11. Ed gar. R. D. D. McLean. M. 11. Strachan, Geo. Kelly, R. A. Bygum; delegates to Automobile Union. Messrs P. S. McLean and P. Pattullo. Messrs Glasgow. McLean and Seaman were appointed a sub-committee to go into the questions of improving the membership. Mr. D. Edgar suggested flhat each member present should endeavour to secure ten new members. It was decided to contribute £5 each towards the picnic of the Old People’s Home and the Hawke’s Bay Children’s Homas. Messrs McLean and Edgar were appointed delegates to the conference called by the County Council regarding joint by-laws.