THE MOTOR HOG.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 127, 16 October 1912, Page 2

THE MOTOR HOG.

| "BREAK SOME OF THEIR NECKS!" | To mention motor ears to certain of our civic fathers produces the same effect as waving a red Hag "before a bull. Recently under the guise of providing a dry crossing for pedestrians, the Borough Council placed four inches of asphalt across the main road opposite the post office store at Fitzroy for the purpose of inducing motorists to "festina lente in negotiating the corner. The motorists immediately raised a howl which had the effect of prevailing upon the Council to lessen the bump by widening the strip of asphalt. Automobilists still eye the crossing askance, however and m this they are backed up to a' | certain extent by some of the councillors. the matter was mentioned bv Cr. iMorey at .Monday night's Council meeting. He did not mind, he said, giving tliem a '"bit of a bump," but he certainly objected to giving them such a bump as would break the springs of a motor car travelling at a very "slow speed. This had happened the other day. Cr. Clarke's language was picturesque. '-It is," iie said, '"'heathenish! It is worse; it is barbarous!" Cr. Gilbert: '"But you are a motorist." Cr. Clarke: "I have a certain amount of coinmonsen.se. Xo other Council in New Zealand would put down a thing like this. You might as well put two trees across the road." Cr. Hartnell thought differently. '"lt is not very often," lie said, "that councillors are congratulated for anything they do, but a ratepayer told me the other day that it was the finest thing the Council had ever done. He said that after having nearly been run over three times he was now able to cross the road in safety. I' think we should lower it a little', perhaps." In the opinion of Cr. Anibury the crossing should be cut down a bit. Cr. Gilbert thought "some of these road hogs" should be taught an effective lesson. At present, many motorists careered through the town at a furiously dangerous pace. "I have." remarked Cr Clarke, "seen something very close to a serious accident," to which Cr. Mannix added: "it is not necessary to wait for an accident before dealing with the traffic." "Brin<* a by-law in," advised Cr. Gilbert. "Pei? sonally, 1' would like to see a log put over the South road and break some of their necks." After this blood-thirsty declaration, the Mayor ventured the opinion that the crossing might be lowered a little. . Cr. Kibby regarded it as the best thing the Council had ever done. Instead of altering the one already laid down the Council should put another one down at the approach to the Waiwakaiho bridge. "As one of tlie prime movers," remarked Cr. Jackson, "I now think it is a little bit too stiff. Still, the Council had to make a start somewhere. My advice is: Keep on bumping and bumping till you bump them right." (Laughter). As an outcome of the discussion it decided to ease the bump to cars by cutting the crossing down slightly and widening it. °