Rural Road Traffic

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 68, 22 March 1937, Page 7

Rural Road Traffic

CONTROL TO BE NATIONALISED WELLINGTON, March 20. Arrangements nave been completed jfor the transfer to the central depart* jment of the traffic inspectors at present under the control of the Main Highways Board, announced the Mini» te r of Public Works, the Hon. Ji. Semple, at Hamilton to-night. These officers will in future be attached tc the Transport Department. “When I first investigated the road accident problem,” said the Minister*

“I realised that the control of traffic on rural roads by some COO-odd local authorities was not appropriate to deal with modern motor traffic. This traffic is now more of & national than a local character and* can bo properly controlled only by a uniformed and efficient national system operated by th* Transport Department which is charged with the responsibility of administering traffic laws.”

Mr. Semple said he found that in order to bring such a national system Into operation it would be necessary to finance it from the revenue derived from drivers’ licence fees which at present went to the local authorities in rural areas. As it had not been possible to introduce legislation last session, the matter had been discussed with the Main Highways Board to ascertain whether anything could bo done in the meantime. The board, which then had a considerable number uf traffic inspectors on its staff throughout the Dominiou had agreed that a change was necessary and had considered tho matter was of sufficient urgency to warrant the appointment of additional inspectors and the taking over on a full-time basis of a group of inspectors who were partly maintained by the board. This generous -and far sighted action by the board had been of great value during recent months when traffic on the roads had been greater than at any time before in tho history of the Dominion.

The board now felt, added the Minister, that as legislation making provision for the establishment of a national system of control on rural roads would be introduced during the coming session, it would assist- matters if its officers were now transferred to the Transport Department instead of waiting until next year. He agreed with the board in this matter and approved the transfer of the officers accordingly. “The board has generously consented to find the necessary money to maintain the traffic force until provision can be made for it to be met out of the vote for the Transport Department,” said the Minister.

The Minister added that, as the road controlling authority, the board was .vitally interested in preserving road surfaces, and arrangements had been made for the Transport Department to take action in cases where traffic conditions were detrimentally affecting the load surfaces.