TARANAKI MOTORING

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1940, Page 12

TARANAKI MOTORING

ASSOCIATION MEETING He wanted to see the New Plymouth Borough Council do considerably more work than had so far been indicated. commented Mr. W. T. Guild, chairman, at last night's meeting of the Automobile Association (Taranaki) commenting on the reorganisation of the Belt Road motor camp. The council wrote suggesting that the camp should be placed under the control of a committee consisting of a member of the borough council, a member of the association and a member of the general public nominated by the council. Mr. Guild said he failed to see how the committee could do much useful work unless the council was prepared to go a great deal further in the direction of providing better facilities, and in modernising the camp. Mr. Guild was appointed as the association's representative on the committee. Complaint was made by members that, because they had been fixed on verandah and telegraph posts, the black and white road signs at New Plymouth were to a large extent camouflaged by the multitude of other signs and the background itself. At Auckland, where there were no verandah posts, the signs, on their proper posts, stood out most clearly it was stated. The attention of the borough council is to be drawn to the matter, and also to the fact that the crossings are due for. re-painting again. The new regulations, stated the secretary, Mr. Val Duff, required that crossings had to be so marked and so lighted that a person using them would be clearly visible from a distance of 100 feet. Approval was given to the adoption of the proposal of the Commissioner of Transport to establish temporary crossings at schools to be laid on the road at times when children would be using them and removed in the interval and at night. This applied to schools not in close proximity to a regular pedestrian crossing. The responsibility of laying and removing the lines would rest with the school authorites. The North Island Motor Union wrote suggesting that the speed of vehicles drawing caravans should be limited to 35 m.p.h. The association, however, preferred that any restriction should be based on driving to the common danger rather than specifying a definite limit. The annual meeting was fixed for October 23 and Mr. R. E. Champtaloup, of the Automobile Association (Auckland) was invited to attend to show interesting moving pictures. In a matter of 10 days since the new subscriptions became due, £530 had been paid, reported the chairman. A total of 23 "get-you-home" services were supplied to members during August. These cost £17 18s 9d, or an average of 15s 7d each service. To date, the total services for the year has been 314 and the cost £230 4s, an average of 14s 8d. The total number of services given by the association is 1640 costing £1075 10s 8d, or 13s ld each.