MOTORING INTERESTS

Southland Times, Issue 22010, 9 May 1933, Page 7

MOTORING INTERESTS

MEETING OF ASSOCIATION. ACTION OF AUCKLAND BODY. The general committee of the Southland Motor Association met last evening. There were present: Messrs D. J. Wesney (president), A. M. Macdonald, L. B. Hutton, J. D. Gilmore, P. A. Pearce, A. E. Wish, S. Smith, W. A. Stout, G. Tapper, M. M. Macdonald, A. J. Campbell, J. R. Haigh, F. G. O’Beirnc and Dr Stanley Brown. The clerk of the Southland County Council wrote stating that the association’s request that the obstruction to motorists’ view at the corner known as Bacher’s Mistake, near Mr Cochrane’s farm, should be removed would receive early attention. In another letter the county clerk said that consideration would be given to the open ditch at the corner of the Ryal Bush road, a short distance east of Lochiel, as soon as possible. It was stated by members that the matter was being attended to. Replying to the association’s letter complaining of the condition of a watercourse on the To Anau-Mana-pouri highway, Mr P. A. Pearce, district engineer for the Public Works Department, stated that it was. improbable that funds would permit of any construction work being carried out on this highway during the present financial year, but he would request the Wallace County Council to attend to the maintenance of the ford in the meantime. A member explained that signposts had been put up and it was agreed that the matter should be left as it was until the spring. The alteration of the Auckland Automobile Association’s name to the Automobile Association was referred to in three letters received. The action of the Auckland body was regarded by motorists elsewhere as somewhat arrogant, a letter from Mr F. W. Freeman (Christchurch) stated. According to newspaper reports the change was made because the Auckland body’s activities extended beyond the Auckland province. In order to safeguard the position as far as the South Island was concerned the New Zealand Automobile Association, Incorporated, was registered by several Christchurch motorists and the writer had been appointed secretary. This association vzas prepared to co-operate with the North Island Motor Union and the South Island Motor Union for the purpose of formulating some general scheme to combat any “drive” by the Auckland Association which might be subversive to the best interests of the motorists of New Zealand generally.

A copy of a letter from Wellington Automobile Club to the president of the South Island Motor Union (Mr F. W. Johnston) was forwarded by the secretary of the union (Mr P. R. Harman), with a request that the Southland Association should express an opinion on the steps taken by the Christchurch motorists who had formed the New Zealand Automobile Association for the purpose of counteracting the action of the Auckland body. The letter from the Wellington Club stated that notice of motion had been given that provision should be made in the constitutions of the North and South Island Motor Unions to prevent further changes in the names of existing associations without the approval of the unions. Tire mover of the notice of motion had stated that he considered the Auckland Association’s action to be such that it might endanger the very existence of the North Island Motor Union, in that the new designation would tend to mislead motorists and be the means of overshadowing the union’s being. A meeting, to which the South Island Union would be invited to send a delegate, had been suggested for the purpose of hearing a statement from the Auckland Association and deciding what action should be taken. Mr Wesney said the matter had received a fair amount of publicity. He was in favour of supporting the "Christchurch motorists because the action of the Auckland body seemed to be a very high-handed one. Mr Smith: What is the attitude of the North Island Motor Union?

Mr Wesney: They are with us. “Has the Auckland body been approached?” Dr Brown asked. He considered that the North Island Union had also acted in a high-handed way in demanding an explanation from the Auckland body. Mr Wish said an amalgamation of all the New Zealand associations would have to come sooner or later, and he suggested that the only thing to do was to form a national body. Mr Stout moved that the Southland Association should support the action of the South Island Motor Union in

co-operating with the North Island Union for the purpose of taking action to prevent the alteration of an association’s or club’s name without the authority of the unions. This was seconded by Mr Smith and carried. The question of having white lines put across Dee street at the Esk street intersection for the guidance of pedestrians crossing the streets was raised and after some discussion it was decided that the City Council should be approached with a request for lines at that intersection for the purpose of controlling pedestrian traffic. Seventeen new members were elected.

The Road Traffic and Camp Committee recommended that it should be a remit to the South Island Motor Union that there should be an alteration in the motor regulations to provide for the lighting of motor vehicles with a light within six inches of the outer edge of the body or load. Mr Hutton said such an alteration would mean that the lamps on a great many cars would have to be shifted. The position of motor lamps varied from six inches to 17 inches from the outer edge of the vehicles concerned. The committee was only asking for the English regulations, Dr Brown said, and there was no reason why New Zealand should not have those regulations in force. If they applied to new cars only there would be no hardship. Mr Hutton moved that the recommendation should be deleted from the committee’s report and this was seconded by Mr A. M. Macdonald.. After further discussion it was agreed that the committee’s recommendation should be referred back for redrafting. Dr Brown moved that the attention of the City Council should be drawn to the prevalence of dazzling headlights on cars, with a view to some action being taken to prevent overbright lights being used