ASSISTING MOTORISTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17611, 16 January 1929, Page 10

ASSISTING MOTORISTS.

'DOINGS OF ASSOCIATION. BUBY TIME FOR OFFICERS. MANY MARKS OF APPRECIATION. A report on the work which the Auckland Automobile Association has performed during the recent holiday season is furnished by Mr R. E. GhamptalQup, touring manager for the association. In this he states: The holiday period this season has fbeen a particularly busy one and it has ■ taken the full staff, supplemented by ■ sometimes one or two patrols, to cope "with the counter and telephone enquiries. Just before Christmas it was a common sight to see the counter lined two and three deep with members requiring information and touring itineraries. The classification of the various routes for the loose leaf itinerary system has greatly facilitated the work, and if we had not made this improvement the staff would not have been able to satisfactorily handle the volume of traffic. We- have endeavoured to extend every courtesy to southern motorists who have not been slow to appreciate the: work of the association, and it Has bepn a common experience for these motorists to express delighted surprise at the facilities available, and quite a frequent remark was, “My word you have a wonderful association —seems to be the only one in Nfcw Zealand that is doing anything.” Many of our own members who have ■returned from touring have called in to see me, and in all cases they have been almost brimming over with enthusiasm and gratitude for the help -which the association has given. Those who have travelled in the South express admiration for the A.A.A. signposting, while those in the North’have in many cases followed our instructions, although contrary to local reports they have received in the various districts, and have told me that they have found our Information in-

n «LJU. valuable. One member who recently complained that he had never received any benefit from the association and who was very loath to pay arrears, amounting to £2 7s 3d, and who has since travelled in the North relying on our itinerary and on our telegraphic information, has thanked me for the information, which he states was “invaluable.” The information we have given for the Northern districts has received a certain amount of criticism from business interests in the North and we have had telegrams notifying that our information was incorrect. In spite of these requests I have adhered to the original information, and on sending Mr Skow through the route under discussion have received his confirmation that our reports are correct. We have endeavoured to safeguard the inexperienced driver and have taken into consideration the vast amount of work which is going on on the East 'Coast, which is changing the Condition of the road almost from hour to hour. It has always been the endeavour of the association to divert traffic from the routes which are under reconstruction so that the engineers may push forward the preparation for metalling without delay caused by motors obstructing the road. 1 Camping Grounds Appreciated. The camping grounds throughout the province have been well patronised and up to the present very few complaints have been received. The main trouble seems to be with sanitatation, but our experience is that this is gradually overcome as the local body sees the expenditure, is Warranted. The Rotorua camping‘ground has been full to overflowing and our patrols in the district have.had a, busy time coping' with the touring traffic. Sev’eral complimentary .letters have been received, and one member who received assistance from the patrol in the district has written that he was glad to be a member of the A.A.A. and would do his best to further the interests of the association. The Auckland camping ground at the Showgrounds has-also been well patronised, and the majority of motorists were pleased to be able to camp so close to the city. Others who preferred to be further away have been accommodated’ at Tui Glen, which is

f generally recognised to be one of the 1 best-equipped and conducted grounds 1 in the Dominion. Complimentary remarks have also been passed with rei gard to the caretaker at the Epsom i Showgrounds, who has evidently spar- ; cd no pains to make the stay of the i campers as pleasant as possible. The Hamilton patrol reports that the local camping ground has also • been well patronised, as many as 30 t cars being in at one time. Motorists who have visited Taus ranga are loud in their praise of the • A.A.A. agent, who has gone out of his ! way to provide for their comfort. One • i member writes: “I think it is only fair ■ 1 to the association that I should advise • you as to the use it has been to me • personally to be a member of the assoi ciation. I had never before appre- ■ ciated this (beyond getting informai tion as to routes, etc.) until the early part of this week. I landed at Tauranga a complete stranger, and not : having taken the precaution to engage accommodation, found myself in a very awkward position. Findin'g all hotels and boarding-houses full I happened to see the A.A.A. agent's sign, and as a last resort thought that I would try there. Mr Clinkard, the agent, spent some considerable time and went to no end of trouble and finally secured me accommodation in a private family.” Hard-worked Staff. This is only one of "the many letters we have received. The wet weather during the holiday period greatly added to the work of the staff, who- ' in addition to 7 their ordinary duties despatched 5000 benzine circulars to town members. ' All patrols had a free day on Christmas Day, and have now had time off for the • extra days on which they worked during the holidays. The office staff had the usual holidays, in addition the members of the staff received an extra couple of days each. Mr Skow and Patrol Yates finished the programme of signposting for the holidays at i a.m. on Christmas morning, when several signs on trampoles were erected after the trams had stopped running. Some of these were to direct traffic to the new vehicular ferry'- The patrols have, on the whole, carried out their duties in a very satisfactory manner and have rendered me daily reports giving conditions of the

: roads, members enrolled, members asi sisted, together with any general in- ■ formation they thought would be helpful. The wet weather was rather try- : ing for them, but they stuck to their duty and at times were held back to ; assist members, not arriving home until late in the evening. I personally kept the office open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and eacli Friday during the holidays. The post-office box has been cleared every morning, including Christmas Day, and any urgent mail has been despatched. While not attending to ■ the mail, I have remained in attendance to my ’phone at home, and although the new number has not yet been printed in the telephone directory, almost besieged with enquiries during the wet weather.