REGULATIONS CONDEMNED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 258, 1 November 1932, Page 3

REGULATIONS CONDEMNED

PROPOSED SPEED LIMIT. Strong exception was taken by members at the annual meeting of the South Taranaki Automobile Association in Hawera on Friday evening to sections of the proposed new motor regulations which seek to establish a maximum speed limit of 40 miles per hour, states the “Star.” The secretary (Mr. W. G. Walkley) said that on October 4 the Commissioner of Transport had been interviewed by representatives of the North Island Motor Union and had agreed to most of the proposals discussed with him. but he would not shift from his proposal to limit speeds to 40 miles an hour. “From a public safety point of view,” said Mr. WalkIcy, “wc were able to convnee the® Commissioner that speed was not necessarily dangerous and eventually he conceded this point, but then he went on to say that as there had to be a curtailment of money for highway maintenance and construction, he intended to see that the average speed was reduced by five miles an hour to save the roads. “In the first place the money for highways was withheld as a temporary measure with the consent of the motorists themselves,” said Mr. Walkley, “and the Commissioner comes along to further harass us on a point upon which we have already met the Government in a desire to assist it in a time of financial stress. If the regulation ’comes into force every motorist exceeding 40 miles an hour will be liable to a fine not exceeding £50.” It was pointed out that it would he possible- for a motorist driving between here and Auckland, and never driving dangerously, to incur fines up to £5OO. It was singly intended to assist the tax gathering machine and if it were to come into force motorists would be “landed” wholesale. Near Auckland there was a speed limit fixed for the Bombay deviation, and no fewer than 100 motorists a month were brought up and fined for exceeding it, very often by only one or two miles an hour. At the present time in New Zealand all the law required was that a motorist should not drive dangerously. In England the law had moved further ahead and it had been recognised that driving to the common danger was the only offence. The speaker concluded his remarks with the observation that the proposed regulation was grandmotherly in the extreme and it was time that motorists took the gloves off to the Commissioner who, it seemed, was entirely opposed to their interest’s. Mr. N. H. Moss (Stratford): It seems that our best plan would bo to communicate with the members of Parliament for this district and enlist their support in opposing the regulations. Mr. G. J. Bayley (Hawera): And by wording a strong protest to the Prime Minister, with the support of all the other associations. Mr. Walkley said that another section proposed to make it an offence to fail to keep to the left of a white line when going round a curve. These white lines were put on the roads at the request of the motorists themselves, to assist towards safer driving. After further discussion it was resolved unanimously on the motion of Mr. Moss, seconded by Mr. W. A. Betts (Stratford): “That this association protests against the proposed regula tion imposing a maximum speed limit of 40 miles an hour and considers that as sufficient taxation has been contributed for the upkeep of roads there should be no question of deterioration by fast motor traffic; further, that the Royal Commission of 1929 recommcnc.en no speed limit be defined but an amendment of the existing regulation to provide that the only breach of such re•/ulations shall be driving in a manner dangerous to the public. ”