MOTOR TRAFFIC.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1758, 24 May 1913, Page 6

MOTOR TRAFFIC.

OBJECTIONS TO SPEED LIMIT.

DANGEROUS CROSSINGS,

DEPUTATION TO HON. H. D. BELL

Several matters of interest to motorists wero laid before the Hon. K. 1). Bell, Minister for Internal Affairs, by delegates of the New Zealand Automobile Union, who met in conference iu "Wellington yesterday. Speed and Local Bodies.

Mr P. S. M'Lean, of Hawke's Bay, president of the union, spoko for the deputation. First he urged that the Government should go on with the proposal embodied in the Motor Regulations Act, and frame regulations which would make it obligatory upon drivers of motor vehicles to hold a license. For this no new legislation would bo necessary, for, under tho Act now in force, the Government had the necessary power to make adequate regulations. If. howovor, it wero proposed to fix a speed limit, the same difficulty would bo encountered as had been met with previously. Of a number of men witnessing a motor accident in tho street no two would agree as to tho sp«?d at which the motor was travelling. But if tliesa nicn wero questioned as to whether tho car was being driven at a dangerous speed or not, whilo they might not all agree, there would bo no difficulty in arriving at what was substantially tho fact. . , . Mr. Bell: Why more in tho case of a imotor tlian of a ship? Mr. M'Lean: Because there are always more witnesses of a motor than a ship. Mr. Bell: It depends upon tho size of tho ship. Mr. M'Lean: I don't know why it should not apply to' a ship. Mr. Bell: You know that ships never agree. Mr. M'Lean suggested that c Court was more likely to arrive at tho truth concerning a motor accident in the street if the law were loft in its present 6tato than if a speed limit were imposed. Another question upon which tho deputation wished to mako proposals, if legislation should be introduced, was tho powers of local bodies to make by-laws. Motorists wore not confined to small limits, as were drivers of horse vehicles, and they thought it would lie better for tho Government to deal with such questions as speed limits rather than leavo them to be regulated by local bodies. If any legislation wero to bo introduced this session, ho asked that the question should bo considered, and that on other questions with which the legislation proposed to deal, the union should be permitted to make recommendations to the Government.

Dangers of the Highway. Mr. M'Lean also referred tho Minister to a resolution carried at the meeting drawing tho attention of tho Government to the many dangerous railway crossings in some parts of tho country, at somo of which motorists could not possibly tell when trains were approaching. Ho Suggested that somo signal should bo put up to warn motorists of the danger of an approaching train. Mr. Bell: Will you motorists pay any attention to the "Stop" notices if they were put further back? I don't think thore are any of you who will. You will all go slap ahead.

Jlr. M'Lean said that some motorists would not pay any attention to tho notices, but a great many ivould. Ho suggested that tho Railway Department should fix a warning signal, so that a disc would rise in tho middle of the road when a train approached nearer than, say, 200 yards.

Mr. Bell: Yes, and if tho thing didn't work you would sue tho Government. Mr. Herries would never do that.

Mr. M'Lean said tho only other question upon which ho wished to speak was ono which. did not affect motorists exclusively, but which did affect them very considerably. It was tho lighting of vehicles. This was enjoined now by bylaws only, and in some districts there were no by-laws on the matter. Last session a Bill had been introduced to make the lighting of all vehicles on roads at night compulsory, and he asked the Government to consider whether that Bill could not, with some modifications to make it moro effective, be taken up by tho Government.

As to the licensing of drivers, the union asked that whatever tho licensing authority was to he, it should he asked to refer to tho Automobile Association of the district for advice as to tho qualifications of tho applicants for licenses. Mr. 801 l said this must, of course, bo merely a recommendation, and not a command. It might bo that an Automobile Association would be all that could bo desired in most districts, but it was not impossible that it would ho quite the reverse, This must bo, a matter for Ministerial direction, and' not regulation.

The Minister's Reply. Replying generally to tho deputation, tho Minister said tiiat all their requests regarding the regulation of motor traffic seemed to hiin extremely reasonable. He agreed with them that all they required urgently could be dono under the present Act, and he agreed that it ought to be dono by Government regulations, and not by local regulations. He agreed also that tho Act sufficiently defined a limit of speed, but he did not agree that local authorities should bo deprived of their power to fix a maximum speed within their own limits, by regulations of their own. It might be that the safety speed was not so low as some boroughs might require, bjit he would not say that local authorities should bo deprived of all power to regulate the speed of traffic within their own boundaries. He would bring their representations concerning dangerous railway crossings under the notice of Mr. Herries. It might prove to bo possible to devise means of protecting motorists, and also tho trains from accident. With regard to lights on vehicles, ho agreed generally with what had been slid but he could not promise to introduce legislation of such a general character without consulting with his colleagues. In considofing the question it might appear that there were roads in parts of the country good enough for motor-cars, where it would impose unnecessary inconvenience to require all vehicles to be lighted. There might be roads, for instance, upon win'eh a man might take his dray out at 11 Wit, and not consider it necessary to carry a caudle. \\ ith the general principle that persons driving vehicles 011 n highway at night should carry lights, to prevent injury to others, he entiiel} agreed, and if this could be made compulsory- without serious inconvenience, or with the exception of such localities as lie had spoken of, ho would suggest to Ins colleagues that legislation 011 the subject should be introduced. He had not thought there was any urgent need for exhaustive leKiaUdoa Hcalin? with motor,