The Star. WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1923. BREACHES OF BY-LAWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 11 July 1923, Page 4

The Star.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1923. BREACHES OF BY-LAWS.

\ Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, » Hurleyville Patea, wraverley, Mokoia, Whakamara Ohangai, Meremere, Fraser Eoad, anc Ararata.

It appears as if some people will never observe by-laws, and lately so many offences have been noticed that we . think that we should once more draw attention to the need for the laws being observed. Cycling on footpaths is still practised by some people, though why they should prefer the tarred footpath to the tarred roadway we cannot understand. In the day time when children are on the footpaths, going to and < from school, those who cycle on the footpaths are increasing the chances of accident, and one has seen many cases where children have narrowly escaped injury. Some cyclists offend by riding on the footpaths 3at night time, often carrying ho light, and recently an elderly woman just escaped being knocked down by a cyclist. The woman stepped off the footpath into a pool of water to avoid colliding with the unlighted cycle, which she observed just in time. We would like to see offenders taught a much needed lesson. Excessive motor speeding has also been noted recently, motor cyclists especially being seen tearing through residential streets at a pace far in excess of the by-law limits/while there are still some drivers of cars who are very i careless and go round corners on their wrong side. Another nuisance is the clatter made during the late hours of the night by cyclists who start their engines and leave the exhausts open, in Spite of the by-law. Wandering horses in the borough are not so numerous as they were some time ago, but there are still'some owners who do not keep their animals off the streets. Breaches of by-brws may lead people into serious trouble, for one may be sure that if local bodies did not regard such regulations as necessary and in the interests of the community they would hot impose them. It is most important

that the laws governing the streets , should bo strictly observed by all the people, and such breaches as those to which we have drawn attention are ' v i ■ to be condemned. Offenders are guilty l of being a menace to safety, and they not only endanger themselves but the lives of those who are innocent, and in the case of cyclists riding on footpaths j children are especially endangered. 1 The unlightod cycle or car at night ] time is perhaps the most serious men- ; ace of all, and we are sorry to say ' that there are many people who break the. law in this respect. We can only hope that those who have been breaking the by-laws will realise how serious is their action and that those who ' have the duty of dealing with offend- ' ers will renew their efforts to bring them to account. Offences against by- ' laws are said to be frequent on the j outskirts of the borough, and some of the residents tell us that if offenders j do not mend their ways there may be a ! | serious accident at any time. We ap- j peal to motorists and cyclists, and also j owners of stock, to observe the by- ( laws and remember that they have responsibilities to the community as a whole. Everybody.has certain resp.on- ! sibilities to the community, and if they are "not carried out we all suffer-to some extent, but in the cases where people fail to observe the by-laws concerning strGet traffic serious accidents may occur. I