A.A.A. ACTIVITIES

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 227, 25 September 1928, Page 16

A.A.A. ACTIVITIES

INCREASED MEMBERSHIP,

CAMP SITE NEAR CITY.

The quarterly bulletin issued by the Auckland Automobile Association states that the membership now stands at 7580, being a net increase of 662 for the quarter ending August 31. The winter months have been devoted to compiling a vast amount of information for u&e during the summer. Visits have been paid to many country districts to confer with local bodies in regard to camping grounds and roaa conditions. Agencies have been visited and arrangements made for a more extensive information service. The preferential hotel tariff scheme has been reorganised and A.A.A. hotels in the coming season will display a yellow shield sign indicating that they" have adopted an agreement with the association. The North Tsland Guide has been ro arranged with local and through mile ages, and revised descriptive matter and maps, and will be available early in October. A very comprehensive scale map of the North Island has been prepared in four sections, various classes of roads being indicated in distinctive colours. Mileages between important points and location of camping grounds are included, together with points of historic interest. This new map will be ready early in October. A neat pocket booklet with lists of official camping' grounds and hotels throughout the North Island is being prepared and will be ready shortly. A parking ground map is also in course of preparation and , this will show at a glance the various parking restrictions recently imposed by the Auckland City Council. New map's jiave been prepared for Gisborne and Rotorua districts, and others are in course of preparation for Whangarei, j Hamilton and Wafkato, and Auckland North and Auckland South. On the occasion of the visit of the Japanese warships the association provided 72 cars and took out 290 of the officers and midshipmen for a motor riin. This courtesy was greatly appreciated and suitably acknowledged by his Excellency the Admiral and the Consul for Japan. Last year efforts made by the council to have a motor oamp established by the Auckland City Council were unsuccessful owing to legal difficulties that existed in utilising any portion of a publie reserve for this purpose. A clause has been included in the Public Reserves, Domains and National Parks Bill which is before the House this session, and which, if passed, will remove this difficulty. A deputation recently discussed the position with the Parks Committee of the City Council, and the efforts of the Council to have a camp site established close to the city are lieiiig continued. THE PETROL BUSINESS. TOO MANY PUMPS. Now that the bulk distribution is fairly under way there is still much dissatisfaction, and the lot of the petrol reseller is an unenviable one, says theofficial organ of the New Zealand Motor Trade Association. "Matters are quickly becoming acute, and it behoves the reseller to take stock of the position and get some idea of what the future has in store for him. "It cannot be economic to go to the expense of installing and maintaining four pumps when one could do the work, and this overlapping increases the retail cost of the average reseller. New petrol stations continue to appear, and the number of pumps in increasing in ratio much faster than the demand for petrol, and it looks as though the position was steadily becoming worse."