WANTON VANDALISM

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20955, 7 November 1939, Page 9

WANTON VANDALISM

DAMAGE ON HIGHWAYS HON. R. SEMPLE SHOCKED ißy Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Monday A feature of the new PlimmertonPaekakariki highway from Porirua to the seawall at Paekakariki is the installation of special reflectors at frequent intervals along both sides of the road. These simple but ingenious devrees reflect the headlights of cars at night and throw them on to the centre of the road, making night driving much easier and safer. The Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, said that a sample of one of these had been brought to him from America and he had instructed that they should be installed in places where they would be visible as a guide to motorists. “I am shocked to learn that some people with destructive and criminal minds have been using hacksaws to cut some of these reflectors down,” said Mr Semple. “I want to give them a warning that if they are caught we will ask the law to impose the maximum penalty, because these people are the enemies of motorists.” The Minister also had something plain to say about those people who have been robbing the centre-line of the new road through the Ngahauranga Gorge of the pohutukawas that have been planted there to form hedges with the object of shutting off the glare of lights from approaching traffic. “Some people who call themselves citizens, but who have the minds of vandals, have been taking the trees out,” he said. “I want to give them due notice that officers will be placed on guard and anyone caught will be exposed. Those who do it are mischievous creatures who must have the minds of cave-dwellers.”