FEWER DEATHS ON ROADS

Southland Times, Issue 23377, 8 December 1937, Page 4

FEWER DEATHS ON ROADS

COST OF CAMPAIGN DISCUSSED MINISTER CLAIMS SUCCESS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, December 7. The determination of the Government to get results from its campaign for road safety was expressed by the Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) during the consideration of the Supplementary Estimates for the Transport Department in the House of Representatives tonight. Various items in the departmental vote were queried by the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. Adam Hamilton). Some proof should be given, he said, that value was being obtained for the money spent. If the expenditure on safety measures really resulted in the promotion of a greater degree of safety there could be no quarrel with the votes, even if they were twice as high, but it was only reasonable to examine the results from time to time. “The Leader of the Opposition is quite entitled to ask whether we are getting results,” said Mr Semple. “I can assure him that we are. The Transport Department is compiling complete statistics and these show a steady improvement in the position as a whole. We are a long way off our goal yet, but we are progressing. “There is our general propaganda and educational week. The best proof that it is succeeding lies in the fact that notwithstanding an increase of 40 per cent, in the number of motorvehicles in New Zealand last year fatal accidents were reduced by 25 per cent. If no action had been taken then, on the law of averages, 74 people would have been killed on the roads of this country last year, instead of only 30. I can say with every degree of certainty that the action we have taken has been effective in reducing the number of fatal accidents, but we want the co-opera-tion of all sides in reducing the figure still further.” EXCESSIVE SPEED BLAMED Mr J. A. Roy (Nat., Clutha) said it appeared to him that excessive speed was the cause of the greatest number of accidents. Cars were going on the road capable of speeds up to 120 miles an hour and in the hands of irresponsible persons they were simply engines of destruction. Some of those highpowered cars should be governed down to prevent excessive speeds. Mr Semple said that when Parliament resumed after the recess a Bill would be introduced giving the Transport Department control of all road traffic, except in towns with populations of over 6000. Every effort would be made to patrol the roads with fully qualified inspectors, whose job it would be to educate the motorists into appreciation of safety measures and good driving. As for speeding as the cause of accidents, statistics showed that it was responsible for about 20 per cent of the road mishaps. Mr S. G. Holland (Nat., Christchurch North): They will say they were doing 30 miles an hour. Mr Semple repeated that the only way to stop speeding was to have a staff of competent inspectors on the roads.