LOCAL SPEED LIMITS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5274, 14 May 1928, Page 1

LOCAL SPEED LIMITS.

REGULATIONS QUESTIONED.

POWER OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES

At the 'last meeting of the •Ohinemuri County Council the following circular was received from the Wajpa County Council. Te Awamutu

“Wjth a view to having amending legislation passed during the coming session in Parliament the following resolutions have been passed by this council, ami the support of your council is. requested:—

“ That this council emphatically protests against the action of the Government in passing regulations of a nature which restrict the poweis of county councils to make by-laws fixing the speed limit of motor vehicles for the purpose of preserving the roads.

“ That representations be made, by county councils to the. Minister, of Public Works, through members of Parliament, to have enacted an amendment to the Public Works Act enabling local' authorities to make by-laws restricting the speed of motor vehicles for the purpose of preserving the surface, of all. roads and main highways situated in counties:, notwithstanding anything.to the contrary cointained in any other Act or statutory power.’ ”

The Waipa County Council pointed out that regulation 15 of the Motor Vehicles Regulations, passed on February 24, 1928, anl followed by the amendment to the. motor lorry regulations gazetted on .March 30, 1928, appeared to have been; designed chiefly, if not solely, for the purpose of granting drivers of motor vehicles, including service cars coming under the heading of heavy traffic,■!a. license to travel at an almost unlimited speed, withojut any regard for the preservation of the surface of the road, or even for, the. safety of the public. It was contended, that county councils would’ find that the Restricted power given by regulation 15 (3) of the Motor Vehicles Regulations was almost unworkable.

Continuing, the. circular stated: “The regulations have practically wiped out all by-laws: regulating speed, notwithstanding that' such: bylaws may have been held by Supreme Court judges to be reasonable and within the powers of county councils.

. “It would appear that those responsible for. the framing of the regulations have either no respect for the opinion of members of county councils and county engineers (who surely must know tile requirements of their Qwn. districts) or, are being dictated to by other organisations. . It is, perhaps. significant that when warning local authoriites per medium of a circular dated March 10 'last o'f. the intention to pass further, amending motor lorry regulations, the Engineep-in-Chief, Public Works Department, although he referred to| one minoi] proposed amendment, said nothing about the. more important proposal, so far as the upkeep of roads is concerned, to increase the speed of certain .mbtoir lorries by 50 per cent. With the motor vehicle regulations in their present form county council® might just as well save the expense of appointing inspectors, who will, except in the event of, a very serious' accident, find it difficult indeed to Obtain convictions under regulation 15.'' REGULATION 15. ' Reigulaton 15 (3) referred to, reads : “A controlling authority may fix a maximum speed for, motor vehicles in respect of any road or portion of a road under its control by enacting a by-law'in that behalf in the manner prescribed by law ror, the making by such controlling authority of by-laws relating to traffic on roads . . •

provided also that no such by-law shall justify any person in driving a motor vehicle at a speed which is Qi' might be dangerous to the public or any person, e,ven though s.tich speecl does not exceed the maximum speed prescribed by such by-law.” In reply to the. chairman (Or. H. M. Corbett) the clerk saidi that he had gone carefully into the matter, and so far as he was able to interpret the clause referred' to, local authorjtieis had ample power anti protection. It was resolved, on the motion of

tlie chairman, “Thait this council cannot support the resolutions., as in.-its opinion there is sufficient power i ll the regulation as it stands.”