NELSON AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 15 August 1924, Page 3

NELSON AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION

'The monthly meeting of the committee... of the Automobile Association was held on Friday evening, and the, President; ■ Dr. Gibbs, presided over a good attendance of committee men. Ttiree new members, namely Messrs F. G. Gibbs, Thomas Brown and B. B. Jones were elected. With regard to the canvass for increase in membership it was decided to obtain the lists of registration of cars both in the city and in the Waiir.ea County, and to go through the list at it special committee meeting with the idea, of circularising likely new members. There is no doubt whatever that such association is well .worth while to the ordinary motorist and all should be members. The objects of the Association which it faithfully endeavours to carry out speak for themselves, viz., 1. To secure good roads and endeavour to improve dangerous places and to remove obstructions. 2. To erect direction, danger and school posts throughout the district. 3. To keep a watchful eye on proposed by-laws and legislation which appear unreasonable and detrimental to motorists.

It may not he generally known that the South Island,' .Motor Union runs a eompreheilsivc hotel scheme, and at certain specified hotels in every town, a motorist can on production of his membership ticket secure a reduction of usually 2/- a. day off the ordinary hotel tariff. Many members more than pay their annual subscription by means ot the reduction thus obtained. For the information of members it may be mentioned that the lists of the places which are likely to concern them is now as follows : Reefton, Stevenson’s and -flawson’s; Westport, Club; Greymouth, Albion, Duke of Edinburgh, Empire ; Hokitika, Keller’s; Ross, City; Motueka, Post Office; Takaka, Telegraph, Junction; Waitapu, Globe; Nelson, Commercial, Trafalgar; Murchison, Commercial; Havelock, Commercial; Blenheim, Criterion, Club, Masonic; Picton, Terminus; Kaikoura, Adelphi, Club; Christchurch, Clarendon, Coker’s, White Hart.

The secretary said that there was a suggestion from the head body that all the associations should make a simultaneous canvass for membership. Sign Posts: In reply to a question the secretary stated that the 'sign posts authorised for the Takaka district had been shipped to the County Council over two months ago, and the Council had promised to have them erected. A member -stated that they were not. yet up and’ it was decided to write to „, the Takaka County Council asking them to expedite their ■■ erecliofj. The posts for the Teal Bridge and Happy Valley should also be erected very shortly. Those at the Wai-iti school have ijlready been put up. A. letter was received from the City Council stating that the Association’s suggestion that the railing .on Nornianby Bridge should be reinovecl, had been approved and that the work would be carried out and the footpath raised. He splash bridge on Hope-Brightwater Road : It was decided to again approach the county engineer with regard to an estimate for an improvement on the approaches of this bridge, and also for widening it somewhat. The.Maha.na and Mapua Fruit Growers-’- Association both wrote requesting tijh , ''Association’s support in their endeavours to get the small remaining strfltc,h ' hh"’the Mapua-Appleby Road metalled, and the request was acceded to. It was decided to write to the Min. ister and also to the members for the district seeking their assistance. The Waimea County Council notified that the cottage on tne Takaka Hill in which the telephone had been installed some years ago at the Association’s request was now unoccupied. It was suggested that the Association might desire to have the telephone removed to the new roadman’s cqttago at Kairuru. It was decided to approach the Telegraph Department asking that this be done. Auckland Point: As no definite reply had been received to the Association’s letters asking if the Board would be prepared to sell a strip of land at Auckland Point with the idea of improving the corner it was decided to write to the Board again asking for-a decision. The South Island Motor Union advised that- the counties of Pm]lev and Inangahua had been included in the Nelson Association’s territory. It wflfl decided to make enquiries with a view to ascertaining whether it would be advisable during the summer to visit Westport, with the idea of forming a branch of the Association there. The South Island Motor Union forwarded copies of the minutes of a number of executive meetings, which were carefully gone through and points of interest noted, It was reported that all the local bodies except one had signed the necessary agreement in connection with the erection of the overhead bridge at Annesbrook, and the President stated that it had been arranged that a deputation from the Association should waft on this particular council at its if ext meeting, m an endeavour to avoid the delay which would lie occasioned if- the agreement had to be sent- back to Wellington and reconsidered.

The President reported that he and the secretary had interviewed the captain of the Salvation Army regarding the location of his street meetings. The captain had met them with every con,

exbJlKI. *»*»¥■*"lT'f • « ,i Captain Montgomery thanking inm loi i his consideration. Regarding the possibility of a change in the incidence of taxation it was decided to! write to the South Island Union stating that this Association absolutely opposes any alteration in the present form of taxation on the use of cars, ine opinion was expressed that if greater funds were required the present tax should he doubled or even trebled it necessary, but that there should be no alteration in the present system or taxation. „ The President reported that the tiockov Association had waited on him with the request: that members should supply the ears necessary to give the visitors to the New Zealand Ladies’ Championship tournament to be held at Nelson, a run around the district on tmnc.ay, August 31st., and that he had advised them that ho thought it could be arranged. A sub committee was appointed to interview as many members as possible with a view to securing the required number of cars, estimated at about 50, and it was decided to suggest that in order that the visitors might bo made acquainted with tiie various parts of the district, each member to bring his wile or daughter or friend, and advise how many more seats he had available. It lias sometimes been said by some when approached for membership that the local Association docs not indulge in combined country runs of members as is done in other parts. The opinion was expressed that if this particulai outing proved a success, probably other joint pleasure runs could be arranged during the summer. A complaint was lodged against a certain motor-cyclist for excessive speeding in a residential locality, and it was decided to draw 1 1 is attention to l this fact in a friendly way in the hope that lie might take a. little more care. It was stated that the junction of the road on the country side of the Bishopdale Hill near Captain Hay’s, was somewhat difficult to pick up at night time when approaching town. It- was decided to write to the Telegraph Department asking if they will have the telephone post at this spot painted white up to a height of about 6 feet, or give the Association permission to do so. Several replies were received from the various oil and tyre companies as tO‘ the Association’s suggestion that they should consider removing their advertising signs on the road sides, most of them being favourable to the suggestion, but naturally wanting to know,- what other similar companies were likely to do.