“BROKEN PROMISES”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 750, 24 August 1929, Page 11

“BROKEN PROMISES”

DIVERSION OF £200,000 GRANT MOTORISTS ANNOYED “Now. when we see the possibility of getting improved roads, we find that through a flaw in the legislation, promises are being broken and motorists are likely to be deprived of the £ 200,000 grant that it was intended the Public Works Department should contribute annually to the highways. So said Mr. H. C. Jones, newlyelected president of the North Island Motor Union, this morning at the annual conference which was continued from yesterday. Owing to the retiring president, Mr. A. J. Toogood, of Wellington, withdrawing his nomination for re-elec-tion. Mr. H. C. Jones, of Auckland, was elected president for the ensuing year. “I feel I am taking office at a critical time for motorists,” said Mr. Jones, in returning thanks for the honour done him. “We have fought for years for better roads. After numerous conferences we were successful in having legislation placed on the Statute Book which we thought would enable us to have good roads. We yielded to a tax which was considered more than necessary to achieve this object. We are well organised but we will have to take active steps to have that amount expended in the right direction. If money for highways is going to be curtailed it will be very iiufortunate." Dr. E. E. Porritt, of Wanganui, aud Mr. W. O’Callaghan, of Hawera. were elected vice-presidents. The following were chosen for the executive committee:—Messrs. G. M. White and H. Butcher (Auckland), L. A. Edwards and A. E. Batt (Wellington). W. Howard Booth (Wairarapa), W. G. Walkley (South Taranaki), F. J. Hill (Wanganui), V. Duff (Taranaki), J. H. Edmondson (Hawke’s Bay). “I believe there i,s great danger in tramcars having the absolute right of the road,” said Mr. A. Grayson, when the advisability of moving for legislation to make tramcars observe the off-side rule was under discussion. All rules,' he said, should be subject to the same traffic regulations. Mr. R. F. Champtaloup said the reason the tramcars were not covered by the regulations was that it was feared congestion would be caused to the tramcars over a stretch of some 300 yards in Wellington. It was decided to make representations to have tramcars brought within the compass of transport regulations In respect to the off-side rule.