RECORD YEAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 82, 4 October 1938, Page 5

RECORD YEAR

1300 MORE MEMBERS

AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION

WORK IN 1938

A record subscription revenue of £8270 8s 3d and an increase of over 1300 members to bring the financial membership up to 8820, are revealed in the annual report of the Automobile Association (Wellington), to be presented to members at the thirty-third annual meeting on October 12. The report, which is to be presented by Mr. Ei A. Batt, comments that the growth in the membership of the association has been consistent with the growth in membership of other associations throughout New Zealand, and today organised motoring represented 58,000 motorists in the North Island and 23,000 motorists in the South Island. Reference is made to the first annual report in 1906, when the membership was 41 and there was a balance of £22-16s lid. In the previous year's report it was stated that the executive had had ■under consideration the question of whether the publication of North Island road guides should be replaced by the use of the loose-leaf itinerary system. In consequence of information obtained by the secretary during his tour abroad, the executive had decided that the publication of the North Island road guide should be discontinued and that in future log-map itineraries be made available to members going on tour. The modern log map itinerary system would contain up-to-date information on roading conditions and milages throughout New Zealand and with the extensive alterations which are being made in the roading system more accurate details could be incorporated as various alterations are made. ,' Consistent with the growth of membership the strength of the patrol staff was increased by the appointment of an additional officer in July, so that there were now five road service officers. Each officer held the certificate of the St. John Ambulance Association. Over a period of years much valuable work had been done by patrols in assisting motorists who have been injured in accidents on the highway. - "GET-YOU-HOME" SERVICE. The extent to. which members were taking advantage of the "get-you-home" service was reflected in the accounts, expenditure under this heading amounting to £311. This service, designed to meet an emergency when uniformed patrols were not available, was availed of on 600 occasions. LEGAL ADVICE AND DEFENCE. The legal advice and defence service which was instituted in 1932 showed, the following statistics:—l 932, 112; 1933, 121; 1934, 100; 1935, 157; 1936, 212; 1937, 233; 1938. 260. In 1937 the executive, in conjunction with all other associations, completed arrangements for the operation of the triptyque system between Australia and New Zealand. A triptyque is a Customs permit in respect of the entry of a motor vehicle into a foreign country. Subject to compliance with certain conditions in regard 'to proper security in the country 1, from which the car was shipped, visitors' vehicles ::a2ld be imported into New Zealand without the necessity of making a cash -deposit equivalent to the amounf of ■Juty payable, and the same condidoca apply in respect of the New Zealand member visiting Australia. Up to August 31, forty-five members leaving New Zealand had taken advantage of the issue of triptyques, while an even greater number brought their cars to New Zealand from Australia. The assistance of the New Zealand Customs Department and the helpful attitude of the shipping companies and the Wellington Harbour Board in facilitating the handling of cars was acknowledged. Similar arrangements existed between the New Zealand associations and the Automobile Association and the Royal Automobile Club of England, and at the moment arrange- i ments with Ceylon were being completed. In addition to the movement of cars overseas, a large number of members had taken advantage of the assistance offered by the association in the shipment of cars between the North and South Islands. RAILWAY LEVEL CROSSINGS. The progress made by the Government in the elimination of railway level crossings was a satisfactory feature. In the Wellington district overbridges had replaced railway crossings at' Porirua, Paraparaumu, and Otaki, and work was in progress at Kaiwarra and Manakau. In addition, the executive understood that proposals had been finalised for the elimination of the crossings at Waikanae and Ohau. Signposting always remains one of the important functions of the association. The work done in New Zealand bore favourable comparison with that done in other parts of the world. The executive acknowledged receipt of a subsidy from the Main Highways Board on work done on the main highways, and congratulated the board on the extent to which white posts had been erected on the roads in the Wellington district. WESTERN HUTT ROAD. Work had begun on the widening and extension of the Western Hutt Road, the route of which was to be along the western side of the railway line from the Petone railway level crossing to the Normandale level crossing, and thence by the present road to Melling, where it would connect with the recently reconstructed section in the Hutt County. The executive felt that a very sound decision had been arrived at. When the work was completed it would be possible to travel from Wellington to Wairarapa without at any stage crossing the railway. In addition, the road would give substantial relief to the present artery through Petone and Lower Hutt.

Extensive reconstruction was being carried out in the Ngahauranga Gorge. The executive looked forward to the reopening of the road in time for the Centennial Exhibition. A pleasing feature of the reconstruction was the provision of a stock route. The association was honoured by a visit from Sir Stenson Cooke, who had been secretary of the A.A., England, tho largest organisation of its kind in the world, since its inception.

Having in mind that the Centennial Exhibition would attract a large number of motoring visitors to Wellington, the executive proposed to prepare suitable plans and information. The executive is represented on the transport committee of the Exhibition Company by Mr. E. Palliser. The executive proposed to take steps to ensure the! provision of adequate facilities to meet the extraordinary demands. BEAUTIFICATION OF HIGHWAYS. The Wellington Beautifying Society had taken a very active interest in foadside beautification, and a donation] M «31 10a twa* anadeb- which proposedj

Ito apply the amount towards the planting of trees adjacent to the new highway > between Plimmerton and Pukerua. In addition to its expression of policy regarding beautifying of hlShways, the Main Highways Board had stated that it was favourable towards the retention of old road reserves for parking purposes. The North Island Motor Union had continued to keep in very close touc'.i with anything of a national character in relation to motoring. The executive was taking active measures to ensure that Aotea Quay, which, after the opening of the overbridge at Kaiwarra, would serve as an important entrance and outlet from the city, was constructed to adequate proportions. The whole matter called for negotiation between the Railway Department, the Wellington City Council, and the Harbour Board, and the executive sincerely hoped that these bodies could through negotiation find a satisfactory solution of the problem of making an ample road width available' for arterial traffic, at the same time making service roads available to avoid undue interference on the part of local traffic with the arterial traffic. PEDESTRIANS AND ACCIDENTS. Accident statistics showed that in the greatest number of cases pedestrians were responsible for causing accidents in which they were concerned. Pedestrians were not taking advantage of the protection provided for them, and this was very clearly shown in a tally which the association recently j took at the Midland Hotel corner andj at the south entrance to the Government Buildings. At the Midland Hotel, of 838 pedestrians crossing Lambton Quay in the vicinity of the recognised pedestrian crossing place, 78 made use of the regulation crossing and 760 failed to make use of it. At the southern entrance to .the Government Build-j ings, a total of 756 persons crossed! Lambton Quay, but only 387 took advantage of the protection provided for them. At this point 28 tram cars stopped across the pedestrian crossing at a time when there was no obstruction, while 30 tram cars which had to pull up behind trams in front also stopped across the area provided for pedestrians. Strong representations were made to the Government with a view to the application of certain provision oi the Motor Vehicle Regulations to trams, particularly in regard to right-of-way and also signalling for the benefit of other road users. The conversion of motor vehicles was another subject or importance which had received attention by the motorists' national'1 bodies. The executive thanked the Main Highways Board, Public Works, Railway, and Transport Departments, the Wellington City ffruncil, the Wellington Harbour Board, and the Press for their co-operation.