MATTERS OF INTEREST

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 212, 22 August 1927, Page 9

MATTERS OF INTEREST

TO MOTORISTS IN HAWKE'S BAY. ANNUAL MEETING OF ASSOCIATION. The annual meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Automobile Association was held in Napier on Friday afternoon, when Mr. J. H. Edmundson presided over a lair attendance of members. Apologies lor absence were received from Messrs. H. J. Bull, A. E. Macindoe, J. Hill. J. H. Gill, and Sir Douglas McLean. The annual report and balancesheet (previously published) were adopted. STREET DANGERS TO CHILDREN “When a motorist approaches a school Re comes to signs bearing the words ‘go slow,’ ‘Take Care,’ etc-, and if he is a motorist at all he does exercise all reasonable care,” stated Mr. M. Treston. “However, although the motorist does take care the children don’t, and frequently, out of pure cussedness, they stand in the middle of the road and won't shift. 1 would suggest that we send a letter to the school masters asking them to warn the children.” That the matter had been dealt with last year through the Education Board svas pointed out by the chairman. Mr. R. M. Chadwick thought something about this matter had been included in the school journals. “I repeatedly notice the way parents encourage children, and have heard them say, ‘Don’t move for him.’ I think that this goes further back than the unfortunate schoolteacher,” stated Dr. Fitzgerald. It was finally agreed that the matter should be again taken up with the education authorities. CONCRETE ROADS. That twenty-five years ago the position in regard to the upkeep of the roads in this country was different from what it was to-day. was the contention of the chairman. “In those days,” he said, “it fell on the shoulders of the country land owners to maintain our roads, but to-day the roads are being used to a far greater extent by the motorist and the country land owners are feeling the burden of the strain. They are looking for relief. Most motorists want better roads, and realise that if thev want them they are the people who will have to pay for them in the future. The proposed petrol tax is generally admitted as the most equitable moans of taxing the motorist. While we are agitating to the controlling authorities for the construction of better roads, we realise our responsibilities, and that we will have to find the grist to build these roads. As motorists 1 consider we should agitate for the construction of such roads as from Napier to Hastings, and Napier to Taradale in concrete. 1 don’t think tar-sealing is going to give the maximum of satisfaction. When traffic is the heaviest a concrete road provides the better material.” RACE DAY TRAFFIC. The need for some regulation of traffic on the Waitangi bridge, near Clive, on show, race and similar days,, to avoid the congestion that now exists, was urged by Mr. J. Fairclough. He addled that there were instances for cars being held up for an hour and a half during such n congestion, and he suggested that if two police officers were stationed on the bridge it would get over the difficulty. Members of the association agreed that the Ins|>ector of Police should lie on approached, and failing his being in agreement permission be obtained for the association to engage two men to regulate the traffic. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: — President, Mr J. H. Edmundson; vice-presidents. Mr A, E. TurnerWilliams and Dr. Fitzgerald; executive committee, Messrs. R. J. Duncan. P. Patullo, J. J- Keating, E. A. Williams. T. Parker, W. Forsythe, B. Chambers, A. E. Macindoe, F. C. Cray, F. S. Seamon, W. Harvey, R. Natusch, J. Fairclough, H. J. Bull, G. F. Gardiner, K. J. Robertson and Sir Douglas McLean. New members were elected as follows:—Messrs. C. F. MacKeuzie, T. Emmerson, C. E. Evans, W. H. Shearer, S- Goudie, A. H. Moore, G. Priest, E. Scarrott, L. H. Deighton, J. C. MeLauchlan, F. Garland and Captain Johnson. GENERAL ITEMS. The members’ attention was drawn by Mr. J, J. Keating to the disgraceful condition of the stretch of roadwal between Hastings and Paki Paki, and on his suggestion it was decided to draw the Hawke’s Bay County Council’s attention to the condition ot the road, and to suggest that a permanent surface be put down.

It was decided that the Hawke's Bay County Council be asked when the work of straightening out the main road near the Te Hauke culvert was to be proceeded with. Mr. W. Forsythe brought under notice another bad place along the road, and that was near the Te Ante College playing field. A culvert across the road had been left as a sort of trap, he said, and for motorists who did not know the road it was very dangerous.—lt was decided to take that matter up with the Patangata County Council.