SPEED FIENDS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4963, 19 April 1926, Page 2

SPEED FIENDS.

EXCESSIVE PACE IN BOROUGH. COUNCIL TAKES ACTION. With the continual increase, of motor vehicles the traffic problem and the risk to pedestrians become more acute At Thursday’s meeting of 'the Paeroa Borough Council the matter was introduced by Ck. H. J. Hare complaining about the speeding thst was going on along Thames Road, especially from ;i, point on the town side of tne racecourjsc property to. the end of the piece of summer road beyond his residence. He pointed out that a rider of a motor-cycle, using the road daily, was one of the chief offenders, ajnd he considered that it was time the council made an endeavour to minimise .the danger cnat existed. The Mayor (Mr W.. Marshall) agreed that speeding in the borough was becoming a, real, menace, and steps would have .to be taken. The practice of cycling on footpaths was also increasing at. an alarming rate, a.nd a serious accident would occur if the offenders were not brought tb -‘book. The Mayor also pointed out that many drivers, df motor vehicles were prone to careless driving. In. Belmont Roa,d this was very noticeable, and drivers frequently drove on their wrong side of the street, and turned without giving any indication of their intention to do so. Several other councillors voiced their complaints and quoted instances of excessive and negligent driving in the streets. Cr. Hare moved that .the police be requested to take steps to check speeding" and other breaches, and that .the council- co-operate with the police and 'render all’assistance possible. Cr. Silcock drew attention to the speeding that was indulged in jbn Taylor’s, Avenue, and said that he considered the Puke Road crossing and the turn' into the avenue a dangerous. corner, and motorists should be cautioned to proceed a,t a. reasonable pace. The Mayor sa ; id that the average motorist appeared to have a complete laxity in regard to 'speed and a failure to indicate signs of direction. The counciLshould tighten up its by-laws, and if ■ neces,Sa,ry frame additional ones to meet the case. It was; reasonable to expect motorists to slow down a,.t corners, and it was worthy of noting that no-vehicle had the Tight of the road at street, intersections in New 'Zealand. The resolution was carried without dissent.