MOTOR SPEEDS IN COUNTY.

Shannon News, 16 October 1928, Page 3

MOTOR SPEEDS IN COUNTY.

TWENTY-FIVE MILE LIMIT IN SMALL TOWNS. TRAFFIC SIGNS TO BE ERECTED ON HIGHWAYS. Two important steps in the control of motor traffic were taken by the Horowhenua County Council on Saturday, when the following recommendations by the Works Committee were adopted: — That the necessary steps be taken to fix a maximum speed of 25 mites per hour for motor-vehicles passing through the, following townships:— Waikauae, Te Horo, Alanakau, Ohau, Tokomaru. That regulation traffic signs be erected on the Alain Highways in accordance with the Engineer’s estimate of £lO5, subject to the Alain Highways Board granting authority to subsidise, .the expenditure out of the maintenance fund. The. Chairman (Air G. A. Alonk) said he had no objection to the speed mentioned. TWENTY-MILE AIAXIAIUAt DEFEATED. Cr. Jensen- moved,, as an amendment to the first recommendation, that the maximum speed be 20 miles an hour. Cr. Kilsby: Thirty miles an hour, do you mean? (Laughter.) Cr. Jensen: I know you like to go fast. We are trying to meet the wishes of the people in our locality. If there are parts of the County where 'you can Iqive 25 miles an hour, I am prepared to support it; but through Te Horo in the morning, when people are going to the factory, the station, the store and the Post Office, 25 miles an hour, with another five added to it, becomes a dangerous speed. We should also t ake into con side ration our small places which may grow. I think that 20 miles an hour would be a safer speed; and, seeing that it is such a short distance, it would not inconvenience the motorists to any extent. The amendment was seconded- by Cr Bryant. ,

Or. Gimblett said he was. not quite in favour of cutting the speed down to 20 miles when, on the Ilutt Road; motorists could travel at a much greater speed. The Chairman: Not in the centres. -

Cr. Gimblett. The traffic on the Hut-t Road is ten times that in the locality where Cr. Jensen wants it reduced to 20 miles. You will have quite a lot of trouble in enforcing it. I don’t think 25 miles an hour is dangerous-

Cr. Rvder said that the Works Committee had had a lot of discussion -on the point and it was finally agreed that 25 m.p.h. be adhered to and not stretched to 30, and that anybody travelling at more than 25 be prosecuted. Cr. Kilsby: I think that 25 miles is a reasonable speed. A man has control of' his car at that- speed, equally as at 20 miles. Cr. Barber 'remarked that no mention had been made of the speed on ■bridges. He asked if something rii: nil not oe done in that matter. The Chairman: It would have to come from the Works Committee. I think the speed on bridges should be restricted Cr. Barber: Our bridge approaches are worse than our townships in many

cases. 1 The Chairman: The Works Committee can discuss that side of it. The amendment was lost, only the mover and the seconder voting for it. Cr. Jensen asked if it-would be possible to have different speeds for different parts of the County. He said there might be places where 20 miles would be a reasonable speed. The Chairman said he did not think it would be a wise course to have different speeds in different places in the Countv.

The clause was adopted. SUBSIDY FROAI MOTOR CLUBS

SOUGHT

With regard to the second recommendation, the Chairman said that the Highways Board had already said that it would give a .subsidy of 30s to the £ for traffic signs, and he presumed that in future the subsidy would be £2. Cr. Jensen: I think the Board should find the whole of the money for these signs. The Chairman: They won’t do it. 'Cr. Jensen: The signs are made for the general public. The Chairmn: Suppose we ask the Automobile Clubs to find our share of it? They have been putting up a lot of signs. Cr. Jensen: The ratepayers are paying the taxation, as well as the motorists.

The Chairman: You agree that the signs are necessary? Cr. Jensen: Yes, we do. The Chairman: The Engineer says lie liari that in , mind. It will be a good idea to approach the associations, to see it' they will subsidise it. Cr. Kilsby: I think we recommended, the other day, that they be approached. There was some mefitioii of it. The Chairman: Evidently you dm not put it in the recommendation. Cr. Ryder: That is the view the Otaki Borough has taken—to approach the .associations. The Committee’s recommendation was adopted, and it was decided that the "Automobile Clubs of Palmerston North ami Wellington be asked to subsidise the erection of the signs. NEED FOR A COUNTY INSPECTOR. Cr. Catley said he had been informed that there were motorists driving in the county without licenses. The Chairman: Any amount. It is all bound up in the question of a traffic inspector, with building and other matters.

Ct. Catley: That means increasing the expenditure. , The Chairman: In most counties where it lias been tried, it has paid. There are the fines, the extra license fees, and so on. I would advise you to bring it before the Works Committee and see if something cannot be

done. It does not mean that it will cost us the amount of. the salary and that we will'get nothing out of it. I know that buildings are going up in this County where, no applications have been -made for permits. In the seaside townships, if people are building and we get information that they are doing so, there is an opportunity of getting greater rating powers.