MOTORING INTERESTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 227, 23 August 1935, Page 14

MOTORING INTERESTS

NORTH ISLAND UNION. care on Highways. The North Island Motor Union mot for its annual meeting at New Plymouth to-day. Addressing tho delegates the president (Mr W. A. O’Callaghan) said inter alia:— “Once again it is pleasing to ho able to record a substantial increase in membership; 31,590 motorists in tho North Island wore at Juno 30, 1935, members of the automobile associations, ail increase of 3270 over the previous year. The increase in membership will bo gratifying to association executives, not merely because it is an increase, but for the reason that during the year another 3270 motorists have realised the value of being members of an automobile association. Details of membership of each association and tho percentage of members to car registrations in each association’s territory are as follows South Taranaki, 2080, 52.60; Wellington, 5167, 50.64; Auckland, 16,913, 44.71; Taranaki, 1376, 44.70; Manawatu 1431, 43.01; Wairarapa, 1532 35.92; Wanganui, 1671, 27.96; Hawke’s Bay, 1420, 21.01. ASSOCIATION SERVICE. “I sometimes wondur when meeting a motor car without the familiar A.A. badge oil it why it is that every motor par owner is not a member of our automobile association. Olio lias only to pause for a moment and think oi the wonderful service wo give lor. one guinea. a year to make tlie problem even more difficult to understand. Wo offer motorists our ‘get you home service,’ free legal defence, mutual insurance, road guides and maps, sign posting, legislative protection, hotel concessions, headlight testing, stolen car recovery service, foreign touting information, and loose leal touring itineraries—yet some motorists are still penny wise and pound foolish in not being members. However, the A.A. movement continues to grow ; each year still more facilities are available to members, and if we make sure that every motor car owner is informed of the nature, extent and value of A.A. service, then in two years’ time our membership should milliner 40,000. BEAUTIFICATION OF ROADS. “Since the destruction of tho native forest very little has been done in the direction of tree planting along our main highways and until recently nothing on organised lines has been attempted. Hundreds of miles of our roads are monotonously drab and lack the beauty of tho roads of, for instance, rural England. Perhaps the reason for the neglect of the aesthetic side of reading has been that hitherto it lias been nobody’s business. Those tilings being so, it is pleasing to see that at last some real effort is being made to beautify the national highways. The work is progressing on the Great South Road from Auckland, and J. noticed recently that pohutukawas arc being planted on the hills facing the Hutt Load from Wellington as far as Petone. South of Auckland a considerable amount of work has been carried out, particularly in the improvement and planting ol : reserves along the Great isouth Road, and last year a start was made on road tree-planting by planting an avenue of 100 toaras at Takanini. But perhaps the most comprehensive work of this Kind is that which has been carried out during the last few years along the 53) miles of road from Patea to Tuiakina. ,In Waitotara County 2) miles of the main road have been planted with red gums, ash, and beeches. Along another 3) miles many hundreds of ehocries and flowering shrubs are showing signs of healthy growth and careful attention. In Wanganui County evenues of poplars have been planted in wet localities, elsewhere wattles, cherries, rhododendrons, and flowering shrubs. Tho movement lias now spread to tho Patea and Rangitikei Counties with gratifying results. Throughout tlie whole area many odd corners and hillsides have been planted with a great variety of trees and shrubs, including, in addition to those mentioned, tree ferns, pohutukawas, and oaks. 1 am informed that the counties concerned propose to establish a nursery from which to draw supplies for further plantings and to make good wastage in the young plantations. Valuable Help has Cecil given by the city of Wanganui and the Wanganui Beautifying Society. Not long ago His Excellency tho Governor, Lord Galway, planted oil the roadside in Waitotara County an English oak described as ‘the first of a long lane of trees which is to form a memorial avenue on the main highway between Auckland and Wellington.’ “I make no excuse for referring at such length to this matter because 1 feel that we motorists should let the good people responsible for this maguilificont work know how we who use the roads appreciate their practical public: spiritedness. MOTOR CAMPING.

“As another touring season is approaching it is, 1 think, not out of place to make passing reference to motor camps and motor campers and picnickers. Many motorists are most considerate in a general way in the matter of the saiety, pleasure, and comfort of other road users, yet probably because of thoughtlessness frequently on vacating a motor camp or picnic ground leave it littered with lefuse. A reminder that everything that cannot be burned should be buried, so tluit those who come after, may enjoy tho open spaces to tho full, is perhaps timely. Broken glass, discarded tins, paper etc., should always be disposed of before moving on, to the next camp.”