RECORD MOTORING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4676, 19 March 1924, Page 2

RECORD MOTORING.

A DANGEROUS PRACTICE. SOME DETERRENT NEEDED. Great interest is being displayed in motoring circles in the record-break-ing leaf of “Wizard” Smith by motoring from Auckland to Wellington last Thursday in 13 hours 19 minutes, and thus lowering the existing record-by 1 houi 13 minutes. The car passed through Te Awaniutu on Thursday morning -at about 8 o'clock (states the Te Awainutu P.r-t), and was travelling at a pace •* far to . fast for the safety of other wayfarers, according to the state, meats of those who saw it pass. Doubtless prosecutions will be instituted against tire driver by several local ’oodles for allegedly exceeding-' ' the speed limits, but even if the.prosecutions are successful the fines will t probably be .so small that the owners of the car will consider the advertisement and notoriety gained will more than compensate for the - aggregate fires. A term of imprisonment would perhaps be the surest deterrent, ami - wime such action is absolutely necessary, otherwise others will be tempt- . ed to Emulate' the performance, thus make the roads positively dangerous for other wayfarers. Another aspect is the damage caused to .road stp-faces by high-speeding motor vehicles. some months ago the WaipaCounty Council contemplated institut- & ing proceedings against a recordbreaker, but abandoned it for lack evidence to prove the charges. We do 3 not know the pace made on our own roads, but the motorist himself claims to have covered 6-5 miles between* Wanganui and Levin in 65 minutes. Such a speedster on public highways deserves gaol.