MOTOR ASSOCIATION

Southland Times, Issue 18971, 19 June 1923, Page 6

MOTOR ASSOCIATION

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. A meeting of the executive of the Southland Motor Association, was held last night, those present being Messrs J. Lillicrap (President), W. F. Sutton, G. Chewings, Cooper, W. Scandrett, E. McPhail, T. F. McDonald, Woodward, A. Derbie, and Dr, Brown. A letter was received frem Mr F. H. Tucker, suggesting that in view of the deplorable state of the Invercargill and Southland roads, the Association consider the advisability of convening a meeting of all the public bodies in Southland to consider ways and means of an immediate and permanent improvement. A lengthy discussion took place on the subject. The secretary, Mr J. Winsloe said that during his recent trip north he bad found that the Southland roads easily held their own. Other members commented unfavourably on the road repairing methods employed by the various County Councils. The lack of steam rollers to pack down the gravel was specially mentioned. The secretary said that the Canterbury Association had tried the expedient of putting one surfaceman on an allotted stretch of road. The method had been found most effective. It was finally decided to hold the matter over pending the appointment of the Highways Board. The Town Clerk wrote advising that the matter of issuing certificates to motor drivers was under consideration. Mr J. E. Winsloe reported having attended the annual meeting of the South Island Motor Union. The remit from the Southland Association recommending that the Union advise other Associations to adopt the colour route scheme for the main South read was well received, several members commenting on the excellence of the proposal. The remit was carried. It was subsequently decided by the Union to mark the main South road by two six inch bands of black and cream bands on the telegraph poles. Mr Winsloe said that if the Southland Association would grant him permission to purchase the necessary paint he would himself see to the marking of the route from Invercargill to Gore. A motion was passed authorising this to be done and thanking Mr Winsloe fcr his offer. Mr Sutton called attention to the bad state of the roads in Lewis street and other parts of Gladstone, where sewerage work was being done, and said that one member of the Association had been stuck in the mud up to the axle cf his car, necessitating the expenditure of £1 to get his car pulled out by horses. Other members said they thought the sewerage work was seriously damaging the roads. It was decided to write and draw the Borough Council’s attention to the matter. Mr R. Dick was appointed secretary in place of Mr Winsloe. The. need for the conservation of (he flax-bearing areas in the Auckland province is to be urged upon the Government by the New Zealand and Northern Faxmillers’ Association (states the Waikato Times). A meeting of the Northern Association decided, with the support of the New Zealand Association, to place the matter of conserving flax areas instead of cutting them up for settlement purposes, before the Government prior to the opening of Parliament. In support of the proposal, figures were quoted to show that flaxmilling was 100 per cent, more payable that dairying, while a number of men employed on a given area was stated as five for flaxmilling to one for dairying. Another argument was the need for maintaining the high reputation of the New Zealand fibre.