One in four

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 145, 22 June 1936, Page 6

One in four

Toll of the Road GOVERNMENT \S SAFETY LEGISLATION Per Press Association. 'CHRISTCHURCH, Last. Night. Details of the Government’s proposals to cope with the increasing density of motor traffic in the Dominion and to reduce road accidents to a minimum were explained by tho Minister of Transport (lion. R. Semple) in an address broadcast from 3YA tonight.

Mr Semple classified tho new safety legislation under the following heads: Unification of traffic laws into one simple code; improving the machinery for ensuring compliance with tho law; raising the standard of requirements for driving licenses; heavier penalties for certain offences; improvement to roads by eliminating danger spots; improving mechanical condition of vehicles; eliminating dangerous level crossings; prohibiting “sweated” conditions for drivers; education and pro- , paganda in safety first. During the last seven years, said Mr Semple, 1250 persons had been killed and 35,000 injured in motor vehicle accidents. Surely these figures were convincing evidence of tho need for drastic action. “During tho last 13 years the casualties from motor accidents had been greater than those reported for the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces during the war.

“Or, put it another way, if you have four children, one of them is, according to the law of averages, predestined to be killed or injured in a motor accident.”

Mr Semple said ho saw no reason why there should be a single death or injury from motor vehicles. Every accident arose from causes that were preventable. The increasing density of traffic on the roads would require a higher standard of skill for drivers, and it w r as proposed to overhaul tho existing requirements for drivers.

Another Fatal Smash MAN KILLED ON HUTT ROAD Per Press Association, WELLINGTON, Last Night. Thrown to tho road when the motorcar in which ho was riding struck a telegraph pole on the Hutt road about 2.35 a.m. to-day, Owen David Phaup, of 97 Pirio street, Wellington, was killed almost instantly. His brother, lan William Phaup, who was driving the car, escaped with only very minor injuries and was able to leave the hospital after receiving medical attention. The car was a total wreck. The only injury to be seen on Owen Phaup’s body was a smau cut on the head. Death is believed to have been due either to internal injuries or shock. The accident happened about 200 yards south of the Onslow road, between Kaiwarra and Ngahauranga. Tho car was travelling towards Wellington and struck a telegraph pole on the left-hand side of the road a glancing blow with tho left-hand front wheels. The impact swung the car at right angles to the road and almost completely ripped off one side. The car was nothing but a tangled mass of wreckage.

There were no witnesses of the accidest, the cause of which is not known at present. A taxi driver who was following the car was on tho scene soon afterwards aud a motorist travelling to Pctono from Wellington also gave assistance.

‘‘l heard a terrific crash and a sort of grinding noise,” tho latter said. “When I arrived I found Owen Phaup lying about six feet from the car. He was bleeding slightly from a cut on the head and died shortly after I arrived. Ilis brother was bleeding from the nose.” The mother of the brothers is Airs Alary Phaup, who lives at 15 Earl street, Opawa, Christchurch.

Pillion Eider’s Leg Fractured Per Press Association, INVERCARGILL, Last Night. Receiving a compound fracture of one of his legs when the motor-cycle on which ho was pillion-riding collided with a ear, John Rattray was admitted to the hospital. His condition is stated to be satisfactory.