A GROWING MENACE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4056, 3 June 1938, Page 7

A GROWING MENACE

MOTOR SPEED ON ROADS. MANY COMPLAINTS RECEIVED The great difficulties with which traffic inspectors now had to contend was emiphasised by Mr W. C. Kennedy (chairman of .Piako County Council) when, last week, a number of letters were received complaining of the growing danger on the roads due to speeding by motorists and lorry drivers. “I can tell you it’s the most difficult thing in the world for an inspector to apprehend a man to-day,” said Mr Kennedy. “ The inspectors have been told definitely by the Minister of Transport that they must not use hide-and-seek tactics in catching offending- motorists.- They have to be caught on the open rood.* Council’s inspector himself admits that the position is just as bad as ever, due mainly to the high-powered cars that now use the roads.” Cr Stark: This speeding is most dangerous, and if we are to voice our concern J think we should make a protest against it. Cr Burgess: The only way is to enforce the use of a governor on all ear engines. A letter from a resident on the Diagonal Road, Ngarua, complained of the excessive speed at which motors travelled, and further urged that the Council take steps to have that road sealed. The Elstow School Committee complained of a similar state of affairs past the school inter-section, where it was claimed that heavily-laden trucks were the worst menace. Cr Burgess: If ratepayers thefnselves gave evidence to the inspector he would take the necessary proceedings. The chairman: I am sure the inspector is doing his duty. Cr Stewart said that many of the school committees in the county would make the roads safer both for children and motorists if they were to cut down the shelter hedges which surrounded the school grounds. In many cases vision was completely cut off for the children, and motorists often did not realise, due to the obscuring hedges, that schools were there. It was decided to protest to the Minister of Transport, and to write to the Elstow School Committee notifying it of the Council’s action.