"A BARBAROUS THING."
BOROUGH COUNCIL DISCUSSION. The raised crossing at the post office corner at Fitzroy was again the centre of an animated discussion at last night's meeting of the Borough Council, when Cr. J. E. Wilson asked the Mayor what authority the Council had for placing an obstruction in the highway. The Mayor replied that the Council had simply put a "walk" across the road. Cr. Stoeker: I thought it was to stop motorists.
Cr. Wilson: That is what I understand.
it wns put there to answer two pmr» poses—to check the speed of motorists and at the same time enable pedestrians to crrjss the road dry-shod. We have one at Brougham street and another at Currie street.
Cr. Stoeker: They have disappeared! . The Mayor: They have worn out? (Laughter.)' Cr. Wilson: I don't know how high it is, but 1 do know how high you go when you ride over it. We are holding out. to the public that we are going to be progressive, but this is a most retrogressive thing. If you want to check motorists you have power to do so under your by-laws, and put up notices notifying motorists of the speed limit." He added that instead of that the Council had laid down an obstruction which damaged motor-cars, and the surprise to him was that it had not been proceeded against by motorists. If a footway really was required, a crossing very slightly raised should suffice to carry the water off. . Cr. Clarke was emphatic that "it was a barbarous thing. "You form leagues, - '' he remarked, "and invite people to come here: and the first thing we do is to-' smash two or three axles and frighten motorists out of the town. A man driving at the rate of forty miles an hour gets off better than a man going slowly." Cr. Kibby, in defending the existence of the crossing, said it had already been reduced hy an inch. Crs. Wilson and Clarke had made a very good case so far as motorists were concerned, but neither of them resided in the locality. He affirmed that it was the "best thing the Council had ever done." After further discussion the Council decided, by seven votes to five, to reduce the height of the crossing by one inch. It was also decided to erect a notice board warning drivers to drive slowly. A further motion was carried, requesting the bydaws committee' to frame a by-law regulating the speed of motorcars.
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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 174, 10 December 1912, Page 4
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416"A BARBAROUS THING." Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 174, 10 December 1912, Page 4
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