FREE LEGAL ADVICE

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1935, Page 7

FREE LEGAL ADVICE

BENEFIT PROVIDED MOTORISTS. TARANAKI. ASSOCIATION SCHEME. In every case in: which a prosecution is brought against a member; of the Automobile Association (Taranaki) uniter the by-laws the association will provide free legal defence, it was decided at a meeting of the association last night. In the past it was customary to supply legal defence for cases in which a principle was involved. The secretary, Mr. V. Duff, said it had- been customary to provide legal advice in cases in which a principle was at stake. This had resulted in a misunderstanding, some members being under the impression that membership entitled them to free legal advice in prosecutions under the-by-laws. Resignations had been received as a result, and in some quarters there was a distinct objection to the present scheme. If free advice was provided in all cases the additional cost would be very small. Mr. F. Amoore thought that in the case of. ordinary breaches of borough by-laws members should be given free legal advice. The cost would be small and a number of satisfied members was far better than one dissatisfied nonmember. Members of the meeting agreed. The service officer, Mr. R. Gredig, reported having collected ten subscriptions, secured ten new. members and having erected six new signs. Districts and events visited during the month were: Bell Block, Tarurutangi, Pungarehu, Oakura, north detour route, Inglewood, Okoke, Carrington Road, Main North and Mountain roads, Junction Road, Ngamotu Beach, Pitone, Rahotu, Waitara, New Plymouth races, Frankley Road, Lepperton, - Hawera, camp sites, Anzac parade and patrol. The car travelled 1081 miles dining the month, bringing the total to 58,723.5 miles.

The department was at present investigating the question whether or not some form of control should, in the interests of safety on the roads, be exercised in respect of the driving hours of persons driving commercial passenger or goods motor vehicles, wrote the Commissioner of Transport. Drivers becoming sleepy and. over-tired as a result of long unbroken periods of driving were a too frequent cause of road accidents, he stated. The association was asked to forward as soon as possible any representations or evidence it might care to submit on the question.

It was. the practice of transport companies to drive all night, said Mr. Amoore.. Mr. J. H. Ashton said when the transport companies first commenced running from Auckland to New Plymouth the drivers worked long hours, but since then other men had been employed to deliver goods in the daytime when the night drivers slept. It was decided to reply that the position was not as bad as in the past, employers having taken steps to overcome the difficulty. The following new members were elected: Messrs. V. (New Plymouth), P. Willcox (Rahotu), S. B. Hall (Okato), A. G. Judge (New Plymouth), P. Dey (New Plymouth), Russell and Hood (New Plymouth), R. Lealand (New Pijmouth), A. Lander (New Plymouth), L. B. Wells (New Plymouth), G. Cartwright (Tarurutangi), T. C. Smart (New Plymouth), Miss M. Elliott (Waitara). Those present were Messrs. W. T. Guild (chairman), E. Cox, Bamsey, J. H. Ashton, W. C. Weston, F. Amoore, Wilton and C. E. Monaghan.