WELLINGTON POSITION

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 33, 7 August 1936, Page 10

WELLINGTON POSITION

BYLAWS STILL HOLD

THREE ESSENTIAL POINTS

The Motor Vehicles Amendment Act •recently passed by the Government is now in force, and motorists who exceed a speed of 30 m.p.h. through built!up areas are subject to a penalty of £50.. The position as between the application of the general speed limit and existing local bylaws is not generally understood and today the secretary of the Automobile Association, Wellington, made the following statement for the guidance of Wellington district motorists:—

The most urgent provision affecting motorists is that'the Act makes it an offence to drive any motor vehicle at a greater speed than 30 m.pih. in cities, boroughs, or town districts.

At the moment, however, this statutory speed limit does not override the provisions of local authority bylaws, which in most cases confine the maximum speed to something less than 30 m.p.h. For instance, in Wellington City the maximum speed allowed by the council's bylaws is 25 m.p.h., subject to further reductions to 15 m.p.h. at intersections, x round corners, past hospitals and schools, etc

The Minister has power under the Act to review and if necessary' alter local bylaws as they affect the driving of motor vehicles, 'but until the Minister has made this review, which must take some time, the position will be somewhat confusing. • There are three points for motorists to bear in mind:

1. The absolute limit imposed by Statute in cities, boroughs, and town districts or declared areas, where notices must appear, is 30 m.p.h.

Z. Local authority bylaws which set a lower speed limit are still in force.

3. That whether speed limits are being enforced under the statutory limitation of 30 m.p.h. or under local authority bylaws, the provisions in regard to negligent and dangerous driving still apply. If under certain circumstances a speed. of 10 m.p.h. constitutes dangerous or negligent driving, motorists will have no shelter under the statutory or a local authority' bylaw limit. '

It must still be ' remembered, also, that particular bylaws limiting speed round corners, across • intersections, past workmen, schools, hospitals, etc., are still in force, so that in Wellington City it is an offence to drive at more than 15 m.p.h. round a corner, 10 m.p.h. past workmen, 20 m.p.h. through tunnels, etc. SPEED ON THE HCTTEOAD. Under the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act the position as to speeds on the Hutt Road is that between Kaiwarra'and Ngahauranga the maximum is 30 m.p.h., "still subject to a further reduction to 20 m.p.h. through Kaiwarra and Ngahauranga. ; ■

Beyond Ngahauranga: there is no limit, but in the event of a motorist driving at a greater speed, than .35 m.p.h. the onus is upon him to show that he was not driving dangerously.

The Minister has power in cases where there is a long length of road ■through a particular borough or. through an area where there is no population to grant an exemption from the general statutory limitation to 30 m.p.h:, and it may be that he will be asked to consider such an exemption in respect of the length of the Hutt Road between Kaiwarra and Ngahauranga.

THROUGH THE BOROUGHS:

In the Petone Borough the council's bylaws limit the speeds of motor vehicles to 15, 20, and 25 m.p.h. in different streets, and in the meantime the Petone Borough Council will continue to operate under the bylaw.

In Lower Hutt the general limit is 25 m.p.h., subject to restrictions at intersections, across the Hutt River bridge, etc. In the past the Lower Hutt Borough Council has not prosecuted drivers unless a speed of 30 iri.p.h. has been exceeded, except where special restrictions apply. The position will remain much the same.

The definite limit of 30 m.p.h. will apply in the Upper Hutt Borough.

In the Johnsonville Town District the 30 m.p.h. limit set by the Act must .be observed. Previously there was no speed limit on the main road through Johnsonville, the-position being governed by the motor regulations in their clauses concerning dangerous driving, but from today the absolute limit through this area is 30 m.p.h. ■■ The same conditions apply at Otaki and Levin.

The above outline generally sums up the position in the Wellington district, but the association reiterates the warning that motorists are still subject to the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1924 as to negligent and dangerous driving.

In addition to his statement of intention to review local bylaws, the Minister has stated that he proposes to

issue a code generally covering the regulations and good driving practices, and it is learned by the association that.this is receiving the urgent attention of- the Department and that the review will be made and the code will be issued at an early date. The Minister is also investigating the regulation of pedestrian traffic and regulations in this direction will no doubt appear coincidentally with the code for motorists. .