OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS1

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 August 1939, Page 9

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS 1

TRAFFIC CONTROL (To the Editor). Sir,—To anyone with experience of traffic control in other towns and cities of New Zealand, the control of traffic in Masterton. is. apparently, treated with great apathy by the controlling authority, namely the Masterton Borough Council. One is forced to ask the question 'Why are 'Rafferty rules allowed to continue in Masterton. when in every other town or district in the Dominion the controlling bodies are working hand in hand with the Transport Department in its efforts to make the roads safe for all? During any part of the day, numerous breaches of traffic regulations may be observed in Queen Street, breaches, which would immediately be followed by a prosecution in any other town, namely:— Motor vehicles travelling at well over the 30 m.p.h. limit, cutting corners, parked at any old angle and distance from the kerb, failing to give way to traffic approaching on the right and pulling out from the kerb or turning without signalling. Cyclists riding'three or four abreast (on one occasion I saw five abreast), riding with both hands in their pockets, and failing to keep to the left. Pedestrians, without looking either to right or left, blissfully stepping off the footpath and crossing the road (sometimes stopping to hold a conversation en route) in the best “jaywalker” fashion, without a thought for other road-users. Now, Sir, at the southern end of Queen Street, which is really one of the main highways of the North Island, there are situated two schools—namely the Central and Convent Schools. Dozens of children attending these schools have to cross this dangerous roadway daily, and yet it evidently does not worry those in control of local traffic, whether these children cross safely or not. In Wellington, if there is a school situated on or near a dangerous roadway, a uniformed traffic officer is on duty to assist the children to cross safely. Recently I was in the vicinity of the Central School when the smaller children from the primers were going home for lunch, at approximately 11.45 a.m. During the time that I was there, numerous vehicles passed. Amongst these vehicles were three motor cars and one heavily laden motor lorry, all four of which passed the school at speeds well in excess of 40 miles per hour. I might state that I have been driving all classes of motor vehicles for the past 20 years and have a fair idea of speeds, and the above speed is in no way exaggerated. It would have been impossible for any of these four vehicles to have pulled up in time to avoid hitting any little child who might have run suddenly across the road. In fairness to the staff of Central School, I would point out that they have started a system of control of their own, operated by a few of the older pupils, but this only operates, so I understand when pupils are leaving school, not when they are going there, and then only after the tiny tots from the primers, who get out before 12 o’clock, have already faced the danger of crossing this roadway. Is it not the duty of the council, seeing that the control of traffic is in their hands, to have a uniformed officer assist these children as is done in other towns?

I understand, Sir, that there are two traffic officers attached to the council's staff, yet they are hardly ever seen, unless they do not wear their uniforms continuously, thereby being less conspicuous.

Information which I received today was to the effect that the local traffic officers have a large number of other duties to perform, apart from traffic supervision. If that is so. it is high time that there was a redistribution of those other duties and at least one man given the full time job of, what has become a very important part of local body administration, namely, traffic supervision and control. Perhaps the Mayor, or a responsible officer of the council, would oblige by explaining the reason for the apparent lack of traffic supervision in this otherwise well-managed town. —I am, etc., —“SAFETY FIRST.” Masterton, August 22.

The above letter was referred to the Town Clerk, Mr G. T. O’Hara Smith, who stated that he had no comment to make on anonymous correspondence.