NO NEED FOR SO MECH DUST

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 100, 18 December 1953, Page 4

NO NEED FOR SO MECH DUST

THE leading article in the Taupo "Times" of Deeember 4th, headed "Less Speed, Less Dust," appears to have given rise to a certain amount of comment. in the town. Two correspondents have writtten to the editor (see Public Opinion, this issue) and several other residents have discussed the matter with the editor. This is good as far as it goes, showing as it does that the matter of dust reduction in I Taupo is of some interest. For there is no doubt that the views expressed will be shared by many others. The leading article mentioned made the point that the only method of lessening the dust nuisance at once was by securing a reduction of speed of all vehicles on the pumice roads in the town to not more than, say, twenty miles I per hour. This would reduce the amount of dust in the town at once and very rfiaterially, and without cost. It was suggested that this reduction would hurt nobody, for no one can claim that this lessening of speed in the town will in any way inconvenience them. And it was suggested that the imposing of such a "dust limit" should be a voluntary matter, not a matter of regulation or by-law. Some of those who have discussed the matter have stated that they have tried driving below 20 ipiles an hour and that the reduction in dust raised is marked, as is also the increase in it as the speed is increased above that rate. One correspondent has made the comment that while the "Times" editorial has given a lead, the suggestion will have no effect unless I something is actually done. This

of course is very true. The correspondent suggests that a campaign should be started at once, by the displaying of notices in shops and business places generally, and that the Borough Council might perhaps do something in this direction. There seems to be merit in this suggestion, and it may perhaps commend itself to business people, the Businessmen's Association, the Borough Council, and others. Such a publicizing of the matter would have the important effect of acquainting all residents, and all visitors to the town, of the reason why motorists on the town's pumice roads were driving more slowly than usual. There can be little doubt that a motorist coming up behind a slow moving car or truck, on unsealed roads in thfc town, and having seen such notices, would at once realise why the car ahead was going slowly. And having so realised, it is perhaps permissible to think that he would himself decide to do the decent thing and adopt the local "go slow" rule of the dusty road. Any drivers of motor vehicles in the town who drove faster than the "dust limit," once it was widely publicised as suggested, would probably be "told about it." We believe, however, that if the suggested "dust limit" were put into practice by even a few more local drivers, and made public as suggested, it would soon be adopted as standard practice in the town by the overwhelming majority of local and visiting drivers. But if anything worth while is to be achieved, in dust reduction, action is needed; not later on, but now.