Opotiki News

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 376, 10 November 1932, Page 6

Opotiki News

Our Own Representative) .

A.A.A. PROGRESS OFFICIALS OUTLINE WORK OF MOTORISTS' ' ASSN.

(From

The needs of the motorists and the tackling of their problems was the main subject dealt with at a meeting of the Opotiki branch of the ArA.Ai on Tuesday evening when Mr. C. Pipe presided over a good and enthusiastic attendance. Messrs. J. Grayson (president), I Geo. R. Hutehison (secretary), and J. Farrell (technical adviser to the A.A.A. ), addressed the meeting, the first named dealing with the problem of insurance and the effects of the third party risk. He advised his hearers that the compulsory premium as issued with the registration of vehicles, did not prove sufficient particularly as a cause of action died with the insuree. Dealing with the erection of signs, he instanced the enormous amount of work which had been done by the_ association in the province and stressed the fact that much had also been done by way of protecting motorists' interests in the case of inimical legislation. The association, said Mr. Grayson, had strenuously opposed the raid upon the Main Highways Funds and was also taking up the question of the re-establishment of toll gates which he characterised- as a retrograde step. Details of the association's "Safety First" campaign were given and also the opposition of the association to the provisions of the Transport Act whereby a private car owner was prohibited from accepting any consideration such as a gift of benzine if he gave a friend a lift. The speaker also traversed the action of the association in classification of hotels after the English manner and enumerated the benefits which had been received by the motorists as the result of the activities of the Good Roads Association the forerunner of the A.A.A. Mr. Hutehison took as his theme the growth of the association's activities and mentioned that in Opotiki the association had actually increased its membership, a fact which reflected the greatest credit upon the local agent, Mr. Pipe, who was very highly regarded at head office. The membership in Opotiki district had grown from 203 to 210 in the past twelve m on ths. Mr. Hutehison spoke also of the efforts to combat the proposal to impose a definite speed limit of 40 m.p.h. which he contended was *not absolutely equitable. He advocated the English system of having no speed limit, but of throwing the onus upon the motorist of driving in a reasonable manner, Pointing out how the motorists' contributions had helped the Dominion as a whole, Mr. Hutehison stated that the taxation for the past three years had amounted to £8,483,000 and in last financial year had been £2,908,000. Of this, 53 per cent had gone to the Main Highways Funds, 11 per cent. to local bodies and the balance to the Consolidated Fund, thus easing the ratepayers' burdens. A number of questions dealing with general matters especially in connection with the conversion of cars and the rebates upon rates, were answered ' satisf actorily. A vote of thanks to the executive and a special tribute to the local agent, Mr. C. Pipe, terminated the meeting.