SOUTH ISLAND MOTOR UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 4085, 28 June 1932, Page 62

SOUTH ISLAND MOTOR UNION.

QUARTERLY MEETING OF DELEGATES. The quarterly conference of delegate* to the South Island Motor Union was held at Waiinate on Friday, the president (Mr F. W. Johnston) presiding. The following delegates were present:—— Messrs P. W. Breen (Otago) and W. T. Ritchie (Tiniaru). vice-presidents; Messrs H. C. Harley (Nelson Automobile /Association). W. L. Geddes (Marlborough Automobile .Association). F. W. Freeman, J. S. Hawkes (Canterbury Automobile Association), G. A. Hayman (Pioneer Sports Chib), J. Palliser, J. M. Jenkins, R. Wilson (South Canterbury Automobile Association). G. A. Manchester, W. Geddes (AVaimate Automobile Association), 11. Hay, M. S. Holmes, J. W. Petrie, and Captain Cox (North Otago Motor Association). J. L. Passmore. W. MTnnes, G. Thorn, W. I l ’. Sutton (Otago Motor Club), J. R. Haigh, J. Ronald (.Southland Motor Association), and W. G. Walkley (Executive Committee, North Island Motor Union). DELEG AT ES WELCOME D. Before proceeding with the business of the meeting the delegates were welcomed by the Mayor of AVaimate (Mr G. Dash). CORRESPONDENCE. In reply to representations by the union that the Kingston-Queenstown road should be completed by unemployed labour, the Minister of Public Works wrote stating that the representations would receive consideration.—Received. MOTOR CYCLE INSURANCE. A letter was received from the Minister of Transport (Mr J. G. Coates) explaining, in reply to a query by the union, that the increase in premiums on motor cycles was made in order to place this branch of the insurance business on a sound financial basis. Figures for past years had shown that payments bv way of claims in respect of motor cycles were actually in excess of the premiums received, and in the circumstances there was no alternative but to increase the premium.—Received. LIG HTI NG REG ULATIONS. A letter was received from the Canterbury Association drawing attention to the dangerous practice, which was becoming all too prevalent among motorists, of driving with only one headlight, and urging that steps should be taken to have the regulations governing car lighting more strongly enforced. Mr Thorn thought that the rule should be extended so as to cover horse-drawn vehicles. It was decided to write to the Police Department and to the local authorities bringing the matter under their notice, and requesting that steps should be taker* to have the regulations more strictly enforced. MOTORISTS’ RIGHTS. A letter was received from the Southland Motor Club asking the union to support it in a protest against the regulation prohibiting motorists from offering to carry passengers conditional o u the latter sharing expenses. Mr Haigh, in supporting the request, said that his club considered the regulation interfered seriously with the rights of private motorists. Mr Harley said it was time that the union voiced some protest against the regulation, which appeared to be carrying the law, as it affected motorists, a little too far. There seemed to be no reason why. if a motorist chose to carry some friends they should not be allowed to pay their share of the running expenses if they so desired. The president characterised the regulation as an absolute absurdity. It appeared to be merely a pin-pricking imposition to force people on to the railways.

It was decided to forward a protest against the regulation to the Minister of Transport, and to point out that whilst the union deprecated the practice of private motorists advertising for passengers. it did not agree with action being taken with respect to the sharing of expenses among bona fide friends. SIGNS ON BRIDGES. On behalf of the South Canterbury Association Mr Jenkins moved: “That where bridges are narrower than the roadway some distinctive sign for the bridges at night should be adopted.” In bringing the remit forward Mr Jenkins asked permission to add after the word “ sign ” the words “ consisting of three reflectors placed perpendicularly.” Mr Palliser, who seconded the motion, said that the remit referred more particularly to bridges that were narrower than the roadway. Mr Haigh said he considered that one lens on the right and one on the left-hand approach to bridges would be sufficient. Mr Freeman thought that to make the proposal successful there should be unanimity throughout the Dominion, otherwise it would become complicated and liable to cause accidents. He thought that a coat of white paint on the bridge approaches would serve the purpose equally well. The motion was lost. Further remits touching the question of warning signs on bridges were submitted by the Southland and Otago Clubs, which suggested that unanimity should be exercised in the erection of reflecting lenses on bridges, and that the red lens should

be placed on the left and the white lens on the right-hand side of the approaches. At the suggestion of the chairman both remits were taken together and were carried. BALCLUTHA TRAFFIC BRIDGE. On behalf of the Otago Club, Mr Breen submitted the following remit:—“ That the Highways Board be asked to treat as a matter of urgency the reconstruction of the Balclutha traffic bridge, and that the cost of the work be defrayed from the money set aside from highways fund for urgent works.” Mr Breen said that at any time the Balclutha bridge might be declared dangerous and closed, and its closing would involve a long detour. The proportion of the cost of the bridge to the various counties had already been allocated, but the question of the Highways Board's share had been held over on account of the highways being out down.

Mr Haigh seconded the motion, and explained that the local bodies concerned were in favour of the proposal. The remit was passed. FLOODING AT M'NAB.

Mr Passmore moved the following remit from the Otago Motor Club: “That on account of the M'Nab section of the main highway between Dunedin and Invercargill being repeatedly impassable on account of flooding, we urge the necessity of having this road raised above the flood level.”

In moving the adoption of the remit, Mr Passmore said that only recently the section in question had been closed for 36 hours and on five occasions since April 1 the main south road had been blocked on account of floods in this locality. The Public Works Department at present had a large gang of relief workers employed on an adjacent section, and he understood that there would be no difficulty in having the work carried out by unemployed labour. Mr Petrie seconded the motion. Mr Jenkins said that the same difficulty existed in South Canterbury, where floods frequently blocked the road between ‘Timaru and Waimate. He did not think that the question brought up by the Otago Motor Club was one for the South Island Motor Union to deal with. After all, it was more or ’less a local matter, and it seemed to him that the remit indicated a certain amount of parochialism on the part of Otago and Southland. Mr Haigh pointed out that the South Canterbury Association could take the same action as the Otago Club had done, and the union, ho was sure, would be ■only too pleased to support it. The remit was adopted. OTHER REMITS. The Canterbury remit —“ That endeavours be made to have the law amended so that the rider of a bicycle and the drivers of vehicles other than motor vehicles be compelled to ob-erve the ‘ off-side rule ’ at intersections.” was adopted. The Otago remit —” That the necessary »teps be taken to make it compulsory for cycles to have the rear mudguard painted white”—was adopted without discussion. EVIDENCE ON COMMISSION.

The chairman brought up the question ef the taking, on commission, of the evidence of motorists who, when charged with an offence, were unable to appear personally. He considered that the taking of evidence in this manner was a reform which would entail merely an alteration in the procedure. The executive had communicated with the Minister of Justice asking that the reform, oe brought about, excepting in such cases as when the offence involved the death of or accident to some person, or the arrest of idle motorist concerned. The executive’s action was confirmed. MOTOR TRANSPORT ACT.

The chairman stated that whilst he did sot propose opening a discussion on the Motor Transport Act he would like delegates to consider the whole Act with a view to being prepared for any action the union might take in future. Mr Freeman expressed the opinion that they should look behind the good intentions that seemed, at first blush, to inspire the Act and examine the dangers that might far outweigh the advantages. It behoved them as a motoring organisation to be militant and try Jo have the matter put on to a more equitable basis. He contended that the Act had been conceived in the wrong spirit, and recently they had the spectacle of the Transport and Appeal Boards sitting in biased judgment on their bus services, such preferential treatment being, in his opinion, distinctly against the best interests ot the community generally. It was expected by business men that the Act would be* a business measure; instead of that it seemed merely a New Zealand Railways Protection Act. Before the motor era the railways were an arrogant Dominion monopoly, and the public purse was always manipulated for them. Mr Freeman went on to say that the Act could only result in the elimination of free and fair competition, and it was designed largely to protect the railways against competition from road transport. It was, therefore, a menace to economic progress in transport. Mr Freeman was thanked for his re marks, and at the suggestion of the chairman. he agreed to embody them ill a circular to be forwarded to motoring organisations throughout the Dominion. ANNUAL MEETING.

It was agreed to hold the annual meeting at Christchurch on Wednesday, September 28. DELEGATES ENTERTAINED.

In the evening the delegates were entertained at dinner at the Royal Hotel by the Waimate Automobile Association.