MOTOR SPEEDING ON HIGHWAYS.

Shannon News, 18 March 1927, Page 4

MOTOR SPEEDING ON HIGHWAYS.

PROSECUTIONS SUGGESTED. Brief discussion on the speed at .which .jnotor vehicles travel over the main. highways in the district took place. at -the monthly meeting of the -Kairanga County Council consequent on the reading of, a letter from; Mr. C.: J.' McKenzie, chairman of the Main -High* .’ways Board, advising that local bodies should' prosecute under section 28 of the Motor Vehicles Act in? air eases 'Where there was reckless or. dangerous driving.- - -■ '■ : ■■ . I * The chairman. (Cr.- Jos. Batchelar) commented that the matter had been brought up at a conference in Wellington last year, but that nothing had been'done. . ;

Cr. Small: They are trying. to put the responsibility on the. local bodies. “In the cities,'.? stated the chairman, “there? is. apparently! no speed limit; it is just a matter of «-et out of the way.“ . ....... . J : Without further comment,! the meeting passed on to the next business. Later, Mr. A; iE. Jull,‘a member., qf the Main. Highways Board; attended the meeting; and, speaking in regard to speed limits; stated that-there was difficulty in obtaining. Unanimity as to what limits, if any, should tje imposed. In portions of the United! States, if -motorists travelling at over 35 miles per hour were-involved in an accident, the onus was placed on them of proving that, their speed had not been the icause.' That was one way of meeting the position. In some of the States it -was- almost a crime for motorists to liravel .slower than 30 miles per hour. <ln.New Zealand, as he had: previously istated, no unanimity could be obtained.; : even the .* automobile clubs ? could not lagree. On some roads it was safer to fgo at' 50 miles! per hour than at 25 on iethers, and the imposition of set speed limits would *not make4he position any ?b'etter. T High speed, however, had a dis'turbiflg effect on the maintenance of the roadsr ,j */• -• •