VANDAL MOTORISTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20112, 24 November 1928, Page 10 (Supplement)

VANDAL MOTORISTS.

A SUMMER NUISANCE. Many of tho best picnic spots within easy reach of Auckland are on private property, and every summer thero arc complaints against motorists who accent privileges and then turn for liomo leaving rubbish which they would not tolerate in their own backyards. The Auckland Automobile Association is occasionally asked by property-owners to appeal to travellers to observe courtesies when camping or stopping at the roadside. Tho few drivers who prowl on privato property in search of trees and shrubs are responsible for the " Trespassers prosecuted notices which place so many excellent pioperties out of bounds for the great majorit v. , ' "The A A. A. issues the following warning; —" Motorists are urged to protect native bush and refrain from lighting fires who it damage can result. On vacating tho camp, extreme caro should be exercised to see that tho embers arc dead." In the spring and summer there is a general exodus from the cities to the country to collect blossoms. Indiscriminate pillaging of farmers' fruit trees or roadside berry bushes and blossoming shrubs of all kinds leave havoc and desolation behind. Such vandalism is shortsighted and selfish. Short-sighted because where ono can have blossoms now one can gather fruit later. Selfish because ttie blossoms soon wilt and are gone, giving pleasure at most to only a few people, while if left in their placo on ♦he roadside they would enrich the beauty of the landscape for tho enjoyment of countless other motorists. It is always better to offer to pay for what you collect if thero should be the slightest doubt as to whose property it is. Very often tho owner will bo glad to give the thing away, setting down tho happy collector as a harmless imbecile for wanting what appears to him to be a valueless and useless article.

On the other hand, there are many things which one should feel in. duty bound to collect. Rubbish after meals, stray tin cans and * other unsightly things should always bo collected and disposed of out of sight, if possible, boforo leaving a camping site, no matter how out of tho way it is. 'lhis sort of collection should bo made a habit. There are often papers blowing about in a camp or along a road which might spread fire and cause some real damage to camp and trees Forest fires aro often caused by just such careless negligenco of this sort of collecting. DELAYS AT DEVONPORT. For the last two Sundays there has been considerable delay at the Devonport wharf owing to the number of motorists wishing to return to the city after having spent tho day or the week-end at the East Coast Beaches. Last Sunday 22 cars were shut out from the 7 p.m. boat, and by the timo the next steamer arrived at 7.40 p.m. there was a long lino of cars parlted in Victoria Street. It was not until 8 p.m. that the congestion was relievo 1 With the improvement of tho main highway to Birkenhead many motorists prefer that route, but as the last boat leaves about 5 p.m. it is necessary for them to follow the metal route to Albany and then divert back to Takapuna to reach Devonport. In tho long waiting lines of cars last week many remarks were heard in favour of the harbour bridge, and there was much corijecturo as to whether tile outcome of the present political situation would help forward the harbour bridge agitatioji. MAIN HIGHWAYS. Contained in the latest report of the touring bureau of the Auckland Automobile Association aro tho following items:— Hamilton-Cambridge Road.—The Hamil-ton-Cambridge road will have tar-sealing commenced on it as soon as authority is received from the Main Highways Board by tho Waikato County Council. An endeavour is to be made to keep one half of the road open for traffic and if motorists show consideration no trouble should be experienced. If, however, there is danger to the workmen from motorists speeding past sections under repair, it will be necessary to divert the traffic round to some other and longer route. Tho Auckland Automobile Association issues an appeal to all motorists to slowdown while passing workmen at work on the roads, this applying to all districts, as the Highways Board has very extensive road operations under way and work will be continued right through the summer months. Tar-Sealing at Huntly.—The tar-seal-ing of the Huntly Town Board's section of the Auckland-Hamilton road is to be commenced next week. Bitumen will be laid on one half of tho road at a time and the business portion of the town will be the first to receive attention. An endeavour will be made to keep the main road open' as much as possible, but if motorists do not show due consideration when passing workmen, the engineer will be compelled to close the road completely and divert traffic round tho back streets. As work progresses to the outside areas, a deviation across the railway lines will be necessary, but the Auckland Automobile Association has been assured by the engineer that the travelling public will be inconvenienced as little as possible. A.A.A. MOTOR-CYCLE PATROLS. The Auckland Automobile Association has added another two motor-cycles to its servico fleet. The newly appointed patrols will be trained around the cit,y close to headquarters and will,then bo used to give service to members further afield. Tho A-A.A. has kept a careful tally of tho costs and performances of the various machines used by the patrol stalf and on this experience has favoured B.S.A.'s for its new machines.