WORK DONE FOR MOTORISTS

Southland Times, Issue 23612, 13 September 1938, Page 4

WORK DONE FOR MOTORISTS

ASSOCIATION’S GOOD YEAR INCREASED MEMBERSHIP IN SOUTHLAND The work done for motorists by the Automobile Association (Southland) during the past year and the manner m which membership was increasing in that and other automobile associations throughout the Dominion were discussed by the retiring president (Mr D. J. Wesney) at the annual meeting of the association last evening. There was" a big attendance of members at the meeting' and satisfaction was expressed with the manner .in which the executive of the association was carrying out its work. Topics of interest to motorists and the public generally were freely discussed. Mr Wesney was re-elected president. Mr S. C. K. Smith was also nominated for the position and a ballot was taken. In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet, _ previously printed in The Southland Times, Mr Wesney referred to certain matters not dealt with in the annual report. It was very gratifying to find that at the last annual meeting of the South Island Motor Union Dr Stanley Brown had been elected vice-president of' the union, he said. The speaker went on to refer to the popularity of the South Island road map and the increased membership of associations. The increased strength of Automobile associations in New Zealand would mean that motorists could speak in no uncertain voice about matters that concerned them, he said. All the automobile associations in New Zealand were showing a remarkable increase in membership, said Mr Wesney. This was proof of two things: that there was prosperity in New Zealand and that there was a realization of the important part the automobile association played in affairs today. ROAD SAFETY In road safety work, he said, the automobile associations ' were cooperating with the Government in giving radio warnings and erecting signs and so on. The greatest factor in this work was the education in road safety carried out in schools. The speaker said that in Wellington a “safety first” officer went from sdhool to school explaining the principles of road safety, and he suggested that the same thing could be done in Southland. Referring to the membership of the Automobile Association (Southland), Mr Wesney quoted the following membership figures to show the progress made by the association:—l926-27, 1080; 1927-28, 1150; 1928-29, 1390; 1929-30, 2031; 1930-31, 2113; 1931-32, 1779; 193233, 1614; 1933-34, 1675; 1934-35, 2035; 1935-36, 2826; 1936-37, 3705; 1937-38, 4737.

The Main Highways Board, the speaker continued, was making every endeavour to provide cycle tracks on highways where motor traffic was heavy. The Automobile Association (Southland) had approached the Invercargill City Council on this question, and he now believed that the council was aware of the need for making provision, in some way, for cyclists. The Main Highways Board, it was understood, was making some provision on the North road. • v Because of the favourable year, work had again started on the Homer Tunnel. All realized what a wonderful asset this would be when completed, but if Invercargill was to get the full benefit from it, they would have to continue to press for the Manapouri-Blackmount road, about which it had been learned recently that “nothing could be done for a while yet” The road to Milford, Mr Wesney said, would bring a great deal of work to the Automobile Association (Southland), because a port would almost certainly be established at Milford and many tourists would bring their motorcars to New Zealand. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS The election of officers resulted:— President, Mr D. J. Wesney (re-elec-ted); vice-presidents, Messrs M. M, Macdonald and S. C. K. Smith. The following were elected to the General Committee, to replace those retiring: Dr Stanley Brown and Messrs A. J. Deaker, N. J. Dolamore, J. Hunter, F. E. R. Booth and A. E. Lea. The other committee members are: Messrs Charles Campbell, W. A. Stout, D. A. Dunn, F. G. O’Beirne, P. A. Pearce, G. Tapper, A. J. Campbell, J. D. Campbell, J. D. Gilmore, J. Pickard and I. V. Wilson. Messrs Cuthbertson and Osborne were reappointed auditors. A vote of thanks to the retiring officers, the secretary (Mr M. C. Fairbrother) and his staff and the Press was carried by acclamation.