FREE SERVICE ON ROAD

Southland Times, Issue 23309, 20 September 1937, Page 2

FREE SERVICE ON ROAD

Work Of Automobile Association ACTIVITIES FOR YEAR REVIEWED Activities of the Automobile Asso* ciation (Southland) during the year were outlined by the retiring president (Mr J. R. Haigh) at the annual meeting of the association on Saturday night. There were 47 members present, which constituted a record attendance In moving the adoption of the annual report Mr Haigh said that since he had left Invercargill he had had little to do with the preparation of the report or the work detailed in it. The road signs committee, he said, was one of the hardest working committees on the association and, he had seen no district in New Zealand with better signposts than Southland. The association had provided a camp ground in Invercargill which was second to none in New Zealand. It was compact and comfortable, and visiting motorists had been favourably impressed. All complaints—although there had been few—were carefully investigated. “I cannot understand any motorist not being a member of an automobile association,” Mr Haigh added. “In this free road service we have one of the finest systems that have ever been arranged in any part of the world. Many motorists have been pleased to get that assistance with very little cost to themselves.”

Other aspects of interest to members, such as the South Island Motor Union and the union’s publication, were mentioned by the president and reference was also made to the great deal of preliminary work done by the special committee set up to consider the plans and other matters concerning the new building. The balance-sheet showed that the association was in a sound financial position, said the president. Although the association was going into a building that was going to cost a considerable sum the finances had been so well looked after that the whole financial position was very satisfactory. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Mr D. J. Wesney; vice-presidents, Messrs M M. Macdonald, C. Campbell and W. A. Stout; executive, Messrs A. E. Lea, S. C. K. Smith, D. A. Dunn, J. Hunter, F. G. O’Beirne, J. D. Campbell, N. J. Dolamore, R. H. Parker, J. D. Gilmore, G. F.'C. Tanner, J. Pickard, G. Tapper, P. A. Pearce, I. V. Wilson, A. J. Campbell and Dr S. Brown.