ALL MUST OBEY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 24009, 5 July 1941, Page 10

ALL MUST OBEY

NO DISCRIMINATION MINISTER EMPHATIC NEED OF REGULATIONS 4 'The Drivers' Union, in common with the private motorist, will have to obey the regulations; there will be no discrimination as far as I am concerned, said the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Sensple, in a telephone conversation with the Hebald from Ch.risV church last night, when discussing the motor lighting restrictions.

""The regulations apply to all motorvehicles/' the Minister added. He had given instruct ions that the regulations had to stand, and there could be no compromise. The regulations were the result of mature consideration by military and air force advisers, who were paid to advise the Government in the interests of the safety of the country, and the regulations had not been carelessly devised or hastily adopted. "Any question of consequent adjustment of time-tables is nothing to do with me," Mr. Sejnple continued. "We cannot, however, gazette a regulation that gives some people the right to use bright, headlights, or allow.*, them exemption from or modification of it. The regulations mean restriction of headlight glare, and no discrimination is going to be shown as far as I am concerned, between the private motor-car and the bus." Mr. Semple added that it would be ridiculous if part of the read-users were to be allowed to ignore the regulations. while the remainder were compelled to observe them. BLACKOUT HAZARDS PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS CORONER'S MEWS ON LIGHTING fET TF.i rCB.tPH —PSlii association] WELLINGTON. Friday "It seem# to me that with the reduced lighting as a result of the blackout restrictions an added duty of care is cast on motorists, but I think, too, some attention should be drawn to the fact that these marked crossings which the public have been educated to use as something in the nature of safety zones, are not properly risible," said the coroner. Mr. W. G. L. Meliisis, at an inquest to-day. The coroner was. inquiring into the death of Mr. Joseph Henry Russell, aged 6-5. generamanager of the Farmer*' Co-operative Wholesale Federation *N.Z.), Limited, who died on June 17 three hours after having been knocked down by a motorcar.

'•There should be some rearrangement of !ighting s " added the coroner, ""so that a light would shine down on the pedestrian crossings. It would be an assistance to motorists and would prevent such tragedies as the present one."

The coroner returned a verdict that death was caused by a fracture of the skull received when Mr. Russel! was struck by a motor-car driven by Mr. H. J. Stanbridge. ELECTRIC-POWER SHORTAGE CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT "They cannot black out our intelligence," said Mr. W. B. Darlow, Independent candidate for Waitemata. in an address at Takapuna last night, in commenting on the reduced lighting restrictions. Mr. Darlow said that shortage of electric-power was the cause of the blackout and that the Government was not honest enough to admit it.

"If the Government is acting on military advice then it is far from the point," said Mr. Darlow. "Why did it not advise a blackout at the end of last year when raiders were about? Mr. Roosevelt has stated now that there are no raiders in the Pacific at all. It is nothing but nonsense. The Government knew the position about electricity and that power stations would be overtaxed. If instead of wasting sterling funds it had purchased more generating plant we would be in a better position to-day. Their claims are an indictment of our intelligence."