MOTOR TRAFFIC

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 228, 14 June 1918, Page 6

MOTOR TRAFFIC

MARKED INCREASE IN WELLINGTON

There has been an extraordinary growth of motor traffic in the streets of Wellington during recent years. This increase has beeu accelerated within the last two years in spite of the increased prices of cars, cycles, and petrol. It will, perhaps, convey some idea of what this increase means when it is stated that the nmnber of applications for certificates as drivers of motor vehicles averages about ten a day. That hardly means that nil theso remain permanently in the city, for the "professional" motorist is somewhat übiquitous in habit and moves round a, good deal, but none the less it: throws a "glarn" light on the motor situation, 'showing that the people are becoming solidly addicted to the motor liabit. Of. course, all applications are not granted. A driver has to undergo <i fairly exhaustive test, and many are "turned down" until they becoino more familiar with thejr machines and how to handle them in busy streets. Moreover, it shows that the position of motor inspector, held by Mr. L. S. Drake, is far from being a sinecure. His department at present, has a pretty hard row to roe, as on the staff _is thrown the responsibility of keeping some twenty-five vehicles (including seven belonging to the fire brigade) in good irunning order. Under ordinary circumstances that would perhaps not be very difficult, but it is now next to impossible to get the extra parts required, which means that they have, to be made by experts. As interesting evidence of the speedy growth of'motor traffic, Mr. Drake informed a Dominion reporter yesterday that in the first year of his appointment (1012-13) 18 taxis and four commercial vehicles were licensed, while during tho past year (1917-18) 140 taxis _ and 23 motor expresses (which ply for hire) were licensed. In the matter of Mrs the registrations since his time rot-e from W 1000 1 to W 1000, then from WN 1 to WN OT).

Mr. Drake, says that our motor traffic i by-laws are far from being perfect, and as tho increase in the number of cars and commercial vehicles continues Hie need of revised by-laws becomes morn anl more apparent; such by-laws should bo standardised throughout the whom o[ the Dominion, a provision as much to the advantage of tho motorist as it would be to the local bodies, ns ■ the former would then always j know exactly where ho stood. | lie had advocated a standard sot of by-laws in 1915 which would, if adopted, have proved of great benefit to overyoue concerned creithis, but the idea —no sound that it was being taken up throughout the. whole of the United States—had not taken mot, and in the meantime '.he great growth of raotur traffic was increasing the difficulties. Mr. Drake pointed out some glaring inconsistencies lvhich the City Council would bo well advised to consider. The charge for a certificate in Wellington was'only Is.; in Christchurch the charge ■was 105." In Christclmrch every motor cyclist had to be armed with a certificate; in Wellington they need not have one at all. Only the other day he was compelled to "turn down" the application of a mnn to drive n car who had only one eye. That was done in the interests of' the. public; but while that was only the right and proper thing to do there was no by-law to prevent that man driving a motor-cycle, and a motorcyclo could do just as much damage in a" "mess-up" as a lisht car could. One thing Mr. Drake ffls strongly upon is the need for a traffic inspector, which work has now largely to go by the Ijonrd owing to the pressure of other business. It should be the duty of tho traffic inspector (motor and horsn vehicM to visit 'nil the slnnds—moloj, cab, and express—and see that all owners or drivers were strictly complying with the by-laws as to numbers, lights, etc., to keep a check on the spew].* of motor vehicles, to ?e<< that every taxi exhibited in plain view of the passenger a scale of charges, to investigate nompjnints 'if over-charging, and multifarious other duties which have a bearing on the proper control of the traffic in' Wellington,