TRAFFIC CONTROL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 127, 15 June 1937, Page 10

TRAFFIC CONTROL

Our Own Correspondent.

SPEED RESTRICTION IN WAIPAWA COUNTY

From

WAIPAWA, This Day. The main highway passing through Takapau is to have a maximum speed limit of 30 miles an. hour, in accordance. with the legislatipn covering, speed res^rictions in closely-settled localities. , The Waipawa. County Council has approved of the suggestion regarding this, matter, made by the Commissioner qf Transport. Approval has. aleo been given t.o a suggestion by the Commissipner that caution- , ary signs be. erected at Ongaonga and Pukehou, which qre not. sufficiently closely-settled to warrant thern being declared "closely-set-tled areas" within tbe meaning of the legislation covering speed rev strictions. In regard to the three localities the Commissioner wrote to the Waipawa County Council giving information ; which is tabulated as follows : — TAKAPAU. — He agreed that a. restriction should be imposed because of the fairly large population in a concentrated area. Only the main thoroughfares, however, will be affected, as side-streets usually carry local traffic only. Cautionary Signs. ONGAONGA. — "It is generally considered that sinai! settlements such as this can be adequately protected without hard and fast speed limite which are appiicable under all traffio. conditi&ns/* he said. ,"I would recommend that your council eonsider erecting cautionary signs at each end of this settlement, denoting the need for ex-. , tra care on the part of motor ists passing through. With such a sign to. instruct himi, there is no excuse fqr a motorist to drive at an unsafa speed and he would accordingly be liable for dangerous driving if he ignored tbe warning. . The commissioner made suggfestions regarding the most suit: able signs to be used. PUKEHOU.— It would not be reu. sonable to apply a speed restriction as tli3 road is open and there is not much settlement. If so desired, cautionary signs could be erected, but even these might lose their effectiveness if erected promiseuousiy. The Commissioner will submit his ieport on this matter to the Minister of Tiansport, the Hon. R. Semple, vvhen he has heard from the Waipawa County Council. When this letter was being discussed at yesterday's meeting of tbe Waipawa County Council, the chairman, Mr N. M. Paulsen, pointed out that the matter had been brought up by tbe council some months ago, "We are all motorists ourselves, and we do not wish speed restrictions to be imposed but at the same time we recoguise the need for traffio precautious," he added. On his motion, the Commissioner' s letter was received and he is to be advised that the council approves of his suggestions. It will be pointed out to hira that in the case of Takapau it never was the council' s intention to include side-streets in the restrictions