UNIFORM SPEED LIMIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18296, 12 January 1923, Page 8

UNIFORM SPEED LIMIT.

CHRISTCHURCH PROPOSAL.

RUTHLESS AMERICAN JUDGE.

[BY. TELEGRAPH.—OWN - COKRESE'OJTDKNT.]

CHRISTCHTTBCH. Thursday.

• The question of a uniform speed limit for the whole Dominion was a mattei discussed at to-night's meeting of the executive of the South Island Motor Union. '- '/ The chairman. ' Mr. J. S. Hawkes, stated that in his opinion the only way to meet: the difficulty was to take the matter out of the hands of local bodies and put it in the hands of the police. He mentioned the attitude recently taken up by a Judge in Detroit, TJ S.A., who refused to subject those who exceeded the speed limit to fines. Any ~ offender, no matter what his position fans in life, was, upon being convicted, sent to prison. His attitude, raised a storm of protest among many influential motorist*. Such Judges were apparently elected to office from lime to time instead of being pernuanently appointed as in New Zealand, and the Judge was warned that if he persisted in sending offenders to gaol he would not again be elected to office. Ignoring the warnings, he continued to send to prison all and sundry who* were proved to have exceeded 29 miles an hour. When the election took place the Judge was not only reelected, but, when, the result became known, was loudly cheered. The position in Detroit to-day was that exceeding the speed limit was a negligible quantity. Mr., W. L. Minson, suggested that Government regulations should be made to apply to the speed limit on all roads. Mr, N. .M. Orbell was of opinion that there should be no speed limits. The test shoTild be that the speed should not endanger public safety. The chairman said that one of the greatest obstacles to reform in speed laws in the Dominions was the local bodies, who would not like to lose the license fees.