ROAD SAFETY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22613, 29 December 1936, Page 9

ROAD SAFETY

CAMPAIGN IN BKITAIN ANOTHER NUFFIELD GIFT MOTOR TRAPS CONDEMNED EDUCATION AS THE REMEDY [I'KOJt OUlt OWN* COIUIKSPOXDEXT] LONDON. Dec. 9 ' Lord Nuffield, at a luncheon at the Savoy Hotel, coupled criticism of the "persecution" of tho motorist with jet another benefaction. Ho promised to double the highest individual subscription made before the end of next week in response to an appeal by Mr. Gordon Stewart, president of the National Safety First Association, on behalf of a special child safety crusade during coronation year. The Minister of Transport, Mr. HoreBelisha, who had come straight to the luncheon from a Cabinet meeting, announced that the Government would jrjve I'-jOOO. Lord Nuffield subsequently explained that his offer extended to the Ministry's grant, and added: "It may bo that someone else will come along with a subscription which beats that of the Government. In that case I will double that particular subscription." Root ol the Problem Mr. Hore-Belisha said that the safety of the children was tho root of the safety problem. Three children were killed or injured every hour. Such a state of affairs must hot continue. Announcing the Ministry grant, Mr. Hore-Belisha said that never before had j the Government made a direct contrii bution toward the efforts of a private citizen. When he told the Cabinet ov this campaign and informed them that I Lord Nuffield would be present at that ! luncheon the Chancellor of the ExI chequer advised him to be modest in j his offers, for the Government was quite | incapable of competing with Lord NufI field. J Lord Nuffield began with "a feu ! words to some of the J.P.'s of this I country concerning 'persecution.' " j "Persecution will not wipe out the, i death-roll on the roads by 1 per cent ; I cannot believe that any man or woman will drive a motor-car with th« object of killing other people. The Worst Persecution "When I see a lorry driver summoned for doing 32 miles an hour in a secret trap, then I say that that, i> the worst form of persecution. I would go further. I would say that secret traps are a damnation in this countrv Education is the only way to prevem the death-roll on the roads." Explaining his plans, Mr. Gordoi Stewart, who is president of tin National Safety First Association, said that every fourth or fifth child born in this land was destined to death o/ injury in some form of accident. Every possible means of propaganda would be employed; films, public ad dress vehicles, mobile units, and com rnunity singing, and before Coronatioi day they planned that one million chil dren would have signed the safety crusade pledge to do their best to obes the rules of safety on the roads, al home, at work, and at play.