PLAINS SPEED LIMITS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5388, 15 February 1929, Page 2

PLAINS SPEED LIMITS.

THJE COUNTY BY-LAWS.

OBJECTION BY MOTORISTS

Mpjtorists are objecting, to Haiiraki Plains speed limits.

The Engineer-in-Chief, Public Works Department, Wellington, has writen to the Haiiraki Plains County Council with refetonc.q to its proposal, for the fixing of local speed limits under its by-laws, stating that an objection! lias been received from the Auckland Automobile Association. The council’s attitude towards this was asked.

The Auckland Automobile Association’s objection was that the by-laws were designed to make compulsory the speeds mentioned in the motor regulations while the regulations merely intended them as a guide. The regulations gave; motor,ists the right to prove that they were noit guilty of dangerous driving when they exceeded the speed, and the proposed by-laws woiHld take away that right from motorists.

The county clerk's reply pointed out that the; matter ha.d been very carefully considered by the council, and the by-laws were decided upon in view of the unique conditions governing the traffic, and roads. Most, of the roads in the .county could not r, eally be classed as more than one-way roiads> bounded on ejach side by deep drains with practically no run-off between meta.l and drains. In addition, the crown of the road was, in most cases, more than usually high. The volume of through traffic was large, and the council considered that, whatever the circumstances a speed- exceeding 3o miles an hour would be dangerous. Six of the nine councillors were motorists. The numerous mishaps to cars at holiday times appeared to en- 1 dorse the council's action. Concerning town areas, the proposed by-law for a restriction to 20 miles an hour in six townships, and dnly in one case did it. apply to more than half a mile. T'he letter pointed out the narrowness of the streets and the proximity of schools and deep drains, and that another aspect was damage to roads oil account of the insecure foundations, the; conditions in the county being unique. The council employed a competent inspector of wide experience, and part of ins duty was to regulate traffic and protect the public from the possible conse-qire-nces of excessive speeding. He was out to curb not the Ordinary motorist, but the occasional reckless driver.