MOTORISTS' INTERESTS'

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23882, 9 August 1939, Page 6

MOTORISTS' INTERESTS'

AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION MEETING OF EXECUTIVE The monthly meeting of the Executive Committee of the Automobile Association (Otago) was held last night, and was attended by the president (Mr P. W. Breen), Messrs G T Thorn, W. Mclnnes, J. L. Passmore. A. J. Campbell. T. Y. Turner E W G. H. Watts. A E. Bingham, W L. Coxhead, H. L. Gibson, H. S. Reid, A. E. Ansell. H H. Henderson, E. J. Anderson. J, Y. Love. W. A. Jenkins and H. L. Sprosen. Membership Nominations of 109 new members were received, and these were duly elected, the secretary reporting that the membership roll now stood at 5863. Commemorative Cairn On the recommendation of the Finance Committee, it was decided to make a grant of £5 towards the cost of erecting a commemorative cairn on the Haast Pass road on the boundary between Otago and Westland. The donation was made in response to a request by the chairman of the Vincent County Council, who stated in his letter that it was also proposed to clear a space at the spot and erect on it a shelter and fireplaces for the use of motorists. Purakanui Road In reply to representations by the association regarding the condition of the road giving access to Purakanui.a letter was received from the Main Highways Board stating that, as the road had not been gazetted as a main highway, the board had no jurisdiction in the matter, and was, therefore, unable to take any action as requested by the association. The president said that the association had done all it could, and the only other alternative now appeared to be for the ratepayers of the district to take the matter up with the Waikouaiti County Council. Further action In the matter was left in the hands of the executive Suggestions to City Council The secretary reported having written to the City Council conveying the executive's suggestion that the tram stop at the Bank of New Zealand corner should be eliminated and that a safety zone be established adjacent to CargiU's Monument, opposite to the existing one between Rattray and High streets. The executive had also suggested that in the interests of safety the existing zone between Rattray and High streets should be reduced to road level and that the concrete standards be replaced by rubber. Further suggestions were that the silent policeman at the intersection of Crawford and Rattray streets should be removed and that consideration be given to the installation of automatic points at Jacobs's corner.

A reply had been received from the council advising that the matters mentioned were at present being considered by the General Committee. The president said that a conference would probably be held between members of the executive, the tramways manager, the chairmen of the Tramways and General Committees, and it was hoped that something would* come of it.

The City Council's letter was received

Improvement of Intersection

Replying to representations by the executive, the. town clerk (Dunedin) wrote advising that negotiations for the acquisition of the necessary land to improve the intersection of St. Andrew street and Anzac avenue had now been completed, and that when the legal formalities had been finalised the area would be taken over.

Mr Breen pointed out that what the association had asked was that the visibility at this corner should be improved. The letter was received. A Question of Boundaries

Regarding a previous discussion whether the Hollyford Valley was in the district of the Otago Association or in that of the Southland Association, the secretary of the Southland Association wrote stating that if Otago's claim to the Hollyford Valley were justifiable, the position would arise that a motorist would have to travel through numerous miles of Southland territory to arrive at a short strip of Otago territory. The position was one that would have to be determined finally, because if an amicable arrangement could not be arrived at, the Southland Association intended to apply to the South Island Motor Union to fix the boundaries. ~. .•«_*•«. The president remarked that the matter could very easily be rectified if the Otago Association agreed to the Land District boundary as laid down in 1925, being the boundary between the Otago and Southland Associations districts. . _.„ _ . It was decided to adopt Mr Breens suggestion. Blocked Roads A letter was received from Messrs Hawie Brothers (Moonlight) asking if the association could give any assistance toward getting the roads in and around the Nenthome and Moonlightdistricts cleared. The residents had now been snowed in for a fortnight, and the authorities appeared to be doing very little to alleviate the position. It was decided to refer the complaint to the Waihemo and Waikouaiti County Councils. Highway lieautificallon Referring to the necessity for some organisation to take charge of the work of beautifying unsightly roads, Mr Turner said that in consequence of the fact that many main roads throughout New Zealand were under reconstruction, and because the land adjacent to the roads had been disturbed and cut up, the country in the neighbourhood appeared, in many cases, barren and uninteresting It might be a good idea if steps were taken to inaugurate a scheme for planting attractive trees and shrubs alongside suitable stretches of the roadside, as in this way the highways could be beautified considerably. Up to the present there was no existing organisation to put the work in hand, but any move in this direction should meet with the wholehearted co-operation of motorists Mr Turner then moved—" That the time is now opportune for the national development of roadside beautiflcation in New Zealand by the preservation and planting of trees and shrubs, and that the Government be asked to set up the necessary organisation for this purpose." Mr Ansell seconded the motion, which was carried, and it was decided to pass the resolution on as a remit to the South Island Motor Union. Messrs Turner, -oxhead, and Love were appointed to confer with Mr D. Tannock regarding the planting of a number of oak trees which were available. Annual Meeting It was decided that the annual meeting should be held on September 28. A Dangerous Corner Mr Ansell referred to the poor visibility at the corner of Burlington street and Moray place East, which, he said, constituted a source of dangei to motorists. This intersection had been commented on recently by Mr H W. Bundle, S.M., who expressed the opinion that at present it was unsafe. The time, Mr Ansell said, seemed ripe for the authorities to do something towards improving it Mr Ansell then moved: That the City Council be requested to make such alteration to the Moray place entrance to Burlington street as will improve the visibility at this point and so provide a greater measure of safet-v for road transport." Mr Reid seconded the motion, which was carried Appreciation of Services It was decided to convey to the secretary (Mr P. Harre), the service officers, and the City Council the executive's appreciation of the service they gave to motorists during the recent snowstorm.

Reference to the work of the transport department's officers iast weekend was made by Mr Ansell. who moved: " That this association write to the Commissioner of Transport expressing its appreciation of the work carried out by Chief Inspector McDowell and his staff during the recent week-end when road traffic to and from Invercarglll was abnormally heavy Despite the fact that road conditions were at times difficult and traffic very dense, no accidents have been recorded, and to .this very. satisfactory result the organisation of the local branch of the Transport Department made a substantial contribution,' The motion was seconded by Mr Passmore. and carried.