ROAD SAFETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23351, 17 November 1937, Page 14

ROAD SAFETY

SPECIAL SUMMER CAMPAIGN THE POSTER COMPETITION ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS iPer United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Nov. 16. "The road-safety poster contest run by my department was highly successful," said the Minister of Transport, Mr R. Semple, to-day. "In view of the recent increase in road accidents, I decided a short time ago to instruct the traffic inspectors throughout New Zealand to be particularly on the lookout for reckless and negligent drivers during the busy traffic period ahead. This special campaign in traffic law enforcement during the holiday period will be accompanied by an educative campaign in road courtesy, and posters and poster stamps will play an important part. "It was necessary to obtain designs for the posters with the least possible delay," the Minister said, "and accordingly I decided to hold a poster competition. Owing to the time required for printing, it was not possible to allow more than 10 days for the preparation of the entries, but all the advertising agents and art schools were circularised, and more than 70 entries were obtained from every part of New Zealand. The general standard of entry was very high. Many of the posters were too horrific, however, to meet with general approval. Others took advantage of the cartoon of humorous appeal, but it is very difficult to utilise this medium in connection with road safety work." Mr Semple said that the judges viewed the posters in the reception room of Parliament Buildings to-day and selected the entry of Mr L. Mitchell, of Wellington, as the winner of the 20-guinea prize. Mr A. Marris, also of Wellington, submitted a poster of such a high standard that the judges decided to increase the second prize awarded to him from five guineas to 10 guineas. Five other posters were also selected for a special prize. These were a second entry by Mr Mitchell, and entries by Mr S. Woolcott (Auckland), Mr Holmwood (Wellington), Miss A. Seddon (Hamilton), Mr R. N. Kelly (Wellington), and Mr B. Miller (Lower Hutt). Subject to certain alterations, several of these might later be accepted at five guineas each. " The entries from the schools and technical colleges deserve special praise," Mr Semple said. " The judges decided to award a special prize to H. Webley, of the Hutt Valley Technical School, Petone, for his entry. This school submitted six entries. Among the interesting entries was that of a pupil of a correspondence school who is medically disabled from normal activity. Although completely inexperienced in poster work, he produced, by painstaking effort, a poster of a very creditable standard." The judges were Mrs Murray Fuller, representing the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts; Mr F. C. Spratt, chairman of the Publicity Committee of the Road Safety Council; Mr R. W. Fenton, manager of the Government Publicity Studio at Miramar; Mr G. L. Laurenson, Commissioner of Transport, and Mr A. F. T. Chorlton, junior publicity officer for the Transport Department.