MOTORING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 78, 8 May 1914, Page 2

MOTORING.

NEWS AND NOTES.

The willingness on the part .. of motorists to. submit to special taxation for the maintenance of arterial roads, as expressed by thie New Zealand Automobile Union (says the. Wellington "Post") was brought under the notice of the Minister of Public (Hon. W. Eraser) during his ,tp. i the Hawke's Bay district „„by > ( R S. M'Lean, president of the urjiah, . The Minister has apparently noted jth<? importance of this factor in the ; situation, and suggests that after Parliament meets representatives of the N.Z.A.A. should wait on himself and other Ministers interested for the purpose of discussing this arid other matters in connection with motoring. It is hoped that this will be the preliminary to comprehensive legislation covering the whole field of roads and traffic on loads. The whole problem should 4>e considered froni every, point of view before lfegisla,tion is brought' down. Not only the N.Z.A.A. but the motor trade and the users of commercial motors should be represented as well as the motor cycling clubs, which are to be found now in almost every district of the Dominion. The Paris Prefect of police has for some time had under consideration the possibility of imposing the use, of an indicator signal on all motor-cars, such signal to show when; the driver is going to stop, and when he intends to turn to left and right. Recently the various inventors of these appliances-were' invited to demonstrate them j,t the police headquarters and in the presence of the head of the Police Department. The appliance which: appeared to meet the greatest approval consists of an indicator hand, which ca,n be made to show to left or right of the number plate by means of a control attached to the steering column. Immediately above the number plate is a disc on which the word "stop";can be made to appear. The entire apparatus is illuminated at night. It is .somewhat doubtful if the authorities will care to assume the responsibility of making such appliances obligatory on motor-vehicles. Motorists have every reason for objecting to this special attention, which will cause them to purchase a rather costly apparatus not used on other vehicles.