Eighty By-Law Breakers.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 8 October 1918, Page 2

Eighty By-Law Breakers.

DEFECTIVE BY-LAW P-RIEViENTS PROS'EfCUTION.

THE MOTOR MENACE.

, Despite the fact that some 80 motorists broke the Borough by-laws on the occasion of tfhie_ recent Otaki races, the Borough Council finds that it is unable to take any notion. The local by-law prescribes « speed -of 12 miles per ■liour in streets in tho Borough and seven miles round corners. 'By-laws imposing this limit on all streets generally an. the Boroughs of Greytown and Petono were ih©ld to be, bad by a recent decision of the Supreme Court because they didi not take into consideration the different filature of the traffic on the several streets. This decision i made it useless for. the Council to proceed with the cases against motorists Who exceeded the speed limit in the Borough. The Borough Overseer presented his report as to tho steps he took on day of the recent Otaiki races. iHe stated that at least 250 motor oars and motor cycles passed to and from the races. In the morning lie and Mr vison timed the cairs a point near the Kawiu road on the Main iroad to Devon street, a distance of 440 yards, and in the evening with Constable 'Bagrie they took their standi at the Grand Hotel. Of the 80 oars timed the speed varied from .SJP to 30 milcp per hour up to tilie point at which the observers stood and from, tihiere on the speed of. the cars was reduced considerably travelling .through the. business -area of the town. This was no doubt accounted! for by the' fact thlat the, oar drivers ascea'a'ined they were being watched. "I may say," adds the report "that not a single car conformed,, in my opinion, to the Borough by-laws by travelling at a speed of IS miles per hour; ill fact the average would be at least 20 miles per ihkjur. I may also state' thiat in the opinion of Constable Bagrie and myself, not a single car t travelled at a speed that one might call dangerous to the travelling public." The Overseer added , that there were often cans passing .through, the Borough at a greater speed-tlian any of those" which passed through, on September 23 and lie would have no (hesitation in laying an information againsit ,the drivers if lie could get their numbeit!. , Conversational discussion took plaoe on the report. Ors Matlleson andl Aitk-en held that 12 miles an iho.ur was too slow a. pace to impose on motors. Gr Mathesoii said Kevaii miles an hour round corners was positively dangerous because it dud not allow the driver- to control his car properly and to tivoid other traffic. Dr Bryson was of tlie opinion "fcha/t 20 miles an iWour was not ,too high a limit to impose. . , The Mayor said, that, speaking without knowledge as a motorist, lie should say twelve miles ran hour through the main f-treets was fast enough. It was docided .to write to several other Boroughs for copies of their traffic by-laws. ■