CHECKING SPEEDING.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 315, 21 November 1929, Page 5

CHECKING SPEEDING.

INSPECTOR FOR COUNTY. Piako Council’s Decision, A suggestion that the district of the Matamata County Council’s traffic inspector should be extended to include the Piako county and Morrinsville and Te Aroha boroughs was recently made by the Piako County Council. Writing to the Piako council on Monday the Matamata council regretted that the suggestion appeared to be unpracticable, as the inspector’s time was very fully occupied with traffic in the Matamata county alone. The communication stated that cooperation among local authorities was necessary in order to provide for satisfactory control, and the position could best be met by the appointment of a suitably qualified inspector preferably by the Main Highways Board, whose district would include several counties and whose duty would be to act in conjunction with local inspectors, particularly in regard to regulating speed, and in arranging for the co-ordination of their activities. The Matamata County Council would be prepared to support a movement in this direction.

The engineer (Mr. B. H. Horner) suggested that the council appoint a man in the county for the control of speedy Cr. Walters said that if anything was to be action should be taken immediately. The chairman: If the man is satisfactory he will be retained. The engineer said the man would have to provide his own motor cycle, keep a record of his movements, and attend court to secure convictions. Benzine and oil w'ould be supplied by the council within reasonable limits. The man’s tenure of office would be regulated by the number of conviction he secured.

Cr. Magill: County councillors will be exempt, of course. ' Members: Hear, hear. Cr. Kennedy suggested that Mr. Russell, of the county staff, be installed. It would be necessary to purchase some equipment to check speed. The engineer said the cycle would be equipped with a speedometer, which would be specially tested. The appointment of Mr. Russell appealed to him, as he appeared to be a suitable man. It would be necessary to increase his salary, as the work would be overtime.

Cr. Walters favoured giving Mr. Russell an extra £SO for the four months.

Cr. Kennedy said he had thought Mr. Russell could have been replaced by another man. It was no use working a man too hard, and Mr. Russell was a valuable man in his position of mechanic. The engineer said it might be possible for Mr. Russell to ' make arrangements for some one to carry out his work.

On the motion of the chairman it was decided to call for applications for the position of traffic inspector, at a salary of £2BO a year, for a period of four months. Finalisation of the matter was left in the hands of the chairman and engineer. The appointment is to take effect on December 1.