AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16279, 12 July 1916, Page 9

AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION.

. . THE ANNUAL REPORT. j j SATISFACTORY POSITION. I ; Thx animal report of the Auckland Auto- . mobile Association, to be presented at the; i annual meeting of members on Tuesday I 'next, is of an encouraging nature, despite ; the unsettled state of affairs resulting from 'the prolongation of the war. The finances I are sound, income showing an excess lover expenditure of £64 16s 6d. At the I close- of the last financial year the mem- j bership stood at 391, and the election of j27 new members during the year brought the total up to 418. Of these 25 resigned, I seven were struck off, and three were j removed by death, leaving the present I total 383. Some months ago the commit- . tee made arrangements whereby, for a Ismail rental, the use was obtained of the j : library room of the New Zealand Society ; of Accountants, which adjoins the secre-: , tary's offices. The association has . atfili- , I ated with the New Zealand Automobile I Union, and it is hoped that matters oj , Dominion importance concerning motoring j i will receive better attention tfirough the! union than could possibly be the case with I each association acting individually, I ! Litho. maps of all counties in the Auck- i land Province have been procured, and the j engineers of the respective counties have been requested to fill in on these maps \ the roads suitable lor motoring. When i these are completed it is proposed to re- I dure them and publish them in convenient! form for the use of members. I The report states that represent ' have been made to the Government ' respecting the weakness in the law affecting persons wrongfully taking cars which ' do not belong to them. It is pointed out! •that at present a conviction can be cb- , tained only for theft of the use of the i car, and the Minister has promised thatI the law will be amended to make the defendant liable for theft of the car I Members have been kept busy during the I year in carrying out duties in connection | with patriotic fund collecting campaigns, conveying of returned soldiers, and simiI lar work. In fact, several members have I arrangements with convalescent homes ] that soldiers may be taken out for plea- ' sure jaunts when suitable, and the comj mittee expresses pleasure in bringing the i fact under the notice of members that j much can be done privately in this dhecI tir-Ti. The report cor. hides by mentioning that 27 members of the association are en active service. ! — I