OPPRESSIVE BY-LAW

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 31384, 13 February 1923, Page 3

OPPRESSIVE BY-LAW

“Is Christchurch being ruled by a lot c f Germans ¥ Better take the Christchurch City. Fathers and put put. them in the Avon.” So said Mr H. W. Orbell, a,t the meeting of the South Canterbury Automobile Asso-

ciation. This remark wasi made during the discussion on a letter which was received from a firm of .solicitors in Christchurch regarding the prosecution in Christchurch cf a Timaru motorist —Mr G. Webster —who had been fined for having driven his car iu Christchurch on a, Timaru license. The letter stated that the Christchurch city by-law* allowed a motorist to drive through the. city once without a license. In the case referred to the defendant had been fined 10s and costs (£1 18s). The South Island Motor Union also wrote in regard to this case. This was a matter, the union said, that should bo dealt with in a. Motor Bill, and until that was done anomalies would continue to exist and cause hardship to motorists. The matter would bo placed before the first meeting of the Canterbury members of Parliament, and the Minister of Internal Affairs would also bo communicated with, in order to speed up a new Motor Bill to cover everything which affected motorists in the matter of traffic regulation, etc. Members of the association were indignant that motorists should he persecuted in this way, and a by-law which provided that a visiting motorist to Christchurch should be j compelled to take outi a. license if he drove through the city more than ] once was characterised as the height 1 of absurdity. It was decided to write to the | Christchurch City Council protesting . against the by-law concerned. It was also decided to urge the j early passing of ai new Act govern- I ing motor traffic, in order to put an | end to all anomalies.