CAR THAT WAS NOT PARKED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17526, 1 May 1925, Page 1

CAR THAT WAS NOT PARKED.

MOTORIST’S ANSWER. HAD TO GO ELSEWHERE. DECISION RESERVED. That parking places for motorists in Christchurch are inadequate to cope with the demands, that the position is unsatisfactory, and that the whole thing is in the melting pot so far as the City Council is concerned, were assertions made at the Magistrate's Court this morning during the hearing of a case in which Christopher Atkinson was charged with leaving his car unattended for a period longer than that allowed under the Act. Judg- ! ment was reserved until Tuesdav. Mr Johnston, representing the defendant, said that the parking places in the city were absolutely inadequate to cope with the demands. His client was a business man, and it was necessary for him to leave his car unattended for sometimes an hour or thereabouts. There had been at one time a parking pl'ace near his business, but it was no longer there. If he w<ye not allowed to leave his car unattended, it would be useless to him. At different parts of the city cars were allowed to remain unattended for varying intervals, and counsel submitted that there was a variance between the by-law and the statute. Defendant/in the box, said that he had at odd times left his car unattended during the day. Other warehousemen had found themsleves in a similar position to himself. There was at present no parking place near his business, the nearest one being in Hereford Street, while his warehouse was in Lichfield Street. To Sergeant Roach: There is a parking place in Tuam Street. The sergeant told the Bench that the instructions of the police were to prosecute under the statute wherever applicable. Offenders were also open to prosecution under the by-law. John vS. Hawlces, secretary to the Canterbury Automobile Association, said that for the last three years he had been president of the South Island Motor Union, and had had over fifteen years experience with the motor requirements in Christchurch. As to the garage and paking accommodation in Christchurh, he would say that the parking areas, annyway, were inadequate, particularly in the business areas. The nearest parking places to defendant's business were at Tuam Street Bast and Hereford Street Motorists parking cars often placed their machines in front of others in such a manner that it was impossible to get the cars out again. Inspector IVfacintosh, of the Christchurch City Council, said that was at the present time under by regulations provision was made for the accommodation of about 1000 cars in different parts of the city. The trouble was that many people used the parking places as garages. Country people came into town in the morning and left their cars parked throudghout the day, with the result that business people were unable to use the authorised parking places. There was no limit to the time cars might be left parked—that was the difficulty in the business areas. There had been a parkin £ place in Lichfield Street, between Colombo Street , and Manchester Street, but it was always so full of cars parked in ail directions htat it was eliminated eighteen months ago owing to objection being raised by warehouse people. The nearest parlcing place to Atkinson’s business, he thought, w 7 as in Beckford Row. but admittedly this, was always very full. To Mr Johnston: He was one of the prime movers in getting the Tuam Street parking place. How many thousand cars are registered w’ithin a radius of twelve miles of Christchurch?—Somewhere about SOOO. How man}' in the city itself? I don’t know. I should say abput 4000. The inspector said that the Madras Street parking place would be all right if country people did not leave their cars there. Mr Johnston : The -whole thing at the present time is eminently unsatisfactory* and is in the melting pot so far as the council is concerned? — ; From the users’ point of view, yes. And you have been doing your best to formulate proposals to get over the difficulty, haven’t you. Sergeant Roach: Do you think that it is reasonable for any man to leave a car at Ridley’s corner near the Clock Tower for over three hours. -No. The object of the by-law is to prevent that. The Magistrate said that he -would give judgment on Tuesday next. ANOTHER CASE. •Daniel O’Connel also pleaded not guilty to a similar charge. Pie told the Magistrate that his grounds for denying the charge were similar to those stated by Mr Atkinson. Decesion was reserved in this case also.