TRAFFIC CONFERENCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1012, 1 July 1930, Page 10

TRAFFIC CONFERENCE

DRASTIC RECOMMENDATION MADE SUSPENSION OF LICENCES Press Association WELLINGTOX, Today. 1 The Minister of Transport, the Hoc. \V. B. Taverner, today pave parties lars concerning: the conference h*M recently to consider ways and reducing the traffic accident rate i t j New Zealand. The conference made some very important recom. ’ mendations. In connection with driver* iicencet j it was recommended that when 4 1 driver, through his negligence or ia- ! toxication, r-auses personal injury < death, it shall be compulsory for hit licence to be cancelled for a minimum l»eriod of six months in cases of in. toxication and three months in cast* of negligence and later, when th* Third Party Risks Act was under discussion. it was recommended that in cases of intoxication the amount e! insurance paid out may Ta recovered from the driver by the ins ranee com*, panv. It was also recommended that in all cases of negligent driving. i». eluding the foregoing, the conviction shall be endorsed on the licence for three years from the date of th* offence. It was also recommended that for second and subsequent offence* driving without possessing a i<ene* the court be given power to inflict imprisonment. Various alterations to the motor, vehicle regulations were suggest©**, including the adoption of the Transport Department's suggestions for bettering the system of issuing motor driver* licences and the provision of compulsorv driving tests framed by regulation applicable to all parts of Nex Zealand. ABSOLUTE SPEED LIMITS The most important recommendation of the conference under this heading was that an absolute speed limit of 45 miles an hour should be fixed for rural localities and 23 mile* an hour for urban. In the latter case an additional absolute restriction of 15 mile* an hour when passing intersection*, etc-., and 10 miles an hour when going round sharp bends, etc., was advisedIt is intended to include these proposals in a draft re-issue of the regulations at present under preparation and shortly to be circulated to all interested parties for comment. In connection with railway -evel crossings, the conference unanimously agreed, in view of the finances available and the measures in hand, that the best available steps were being taken by the Railway Department, and a similar resolution was carried in connection with the road works of th* Main Highways Board and the Public Works Department. A resolution was carried unanimously that power he given to local authorities and the Government, through local authorities, to remove growth, even if on private property, obscuring the view at railway level crossings. The proposals in last session * Transport Law Amendment Bill for the regulation of pedestrian and other road traffic were approved by the conference. which also recommended that the Stock Act. 1908, and other Act* relating to stock on roads, be revised and brought into line with modern conditions. The Minister stated that these proposals would also require an amendment of the law. and he was arranging to consult other Ministers concerned with that object in view. ENFORCEMENT OF SYSTEM It was clear, he stated, that the conference was not satisfied with the present system of divided control, whereby some 300 local authorities in New Zealand were responsible for enforcement in their own areas, and the police took a measure o responsibility in the more serious cases. Generally considered the present system was both inefficient, particularly in the country districts, and moi > expensive than should be the case for the results provided. Further, there was a complete absence of uniformity of enforcement. After a very full discussion, a resolution was passed by a large majority in favour of a national and uniform system of traffic law enforcement being instituted. The Minister said this would require a very full investigation /rom financial and other aspect* •Id be done to give effect to it. At the earliest opportunity he would go very fully into the recommendation with a view to considering whether to recommend to Cabinet that legislation be brought down during the present session. The conference also unanimously recommended that the system of chance mechanical inspection, more particularly of brakes, be instituted by Government patrol officers. The penal- ! ties at present inflicted for traffic oiYences were also considered, and while a recommendation was made by j the conference that the Department of Justice should consider methods of i making the penalties for similar minor traffic offences more uniform, the con- | fere nee was against any idea of dispensing with court procedure in minor i cases, even when guilt was admitted. It also recommended that a series of addresses on traffic dangers l>e added ; to the curriculum of each school, and that various other methods be adopted for the reduction of the danger to school children and the education of the public in traffic dangers through radio ar ' ,ae Press. This work was entrusted to a committee in ’Welling- ! ton. consisting of the Transport and Education Departments and the motor unions.