H—4o

E. ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFFIC LAWS At 31st March, 1948, the strength of the uniformed traffic staff of the Transport Department was as follows :

The increase in staff is accounted for, firstly, by the taking-over of the traffic enforcement staff of the Nelson City Council (2) and the Timaru Borough Council (3) as the result of arrangements with these Councils for the control of traffic by the Department, and, secondly, by the appointment of additional inspectors stationed in the following centres: Whangarei, Warkworth, Auckland (Great South Road), Ohakune, Hastings, Palmerston North, Wellington (2), Motueka, Christchurch, Palmerston, and Otautau. At Wellington one Senior Inspector was required at Head Office to assist with the increasing work of the Traffic Offences Bureau and to enable the Chief Traffic Inspector to devote greater personal attention to traffic matters throughout the Dominion, and an experienced Inspector was specially detailed to investigate and report upon the background and driving history of motor-drivers involved in accidents, where it seemed that their qualifications for holding a licence might be reviewed. Control of traffic on all rural roads is exercised by the Department's traffic staff, and at 31st March, 1948, some 115 urban authorities (including two cities) had entered into an agreement for the control of their traffic by the Department. During the year the following local authorities voluntarily vested the control of their traffic in the Department: Nelson City Council; Waihi, Te Aroha, Stratford, Taihape, and Timaru Borough Councils; Waverley, Taupo, and Tahunanui Town Boards. Notwithstanding the reintroduction of petrol-rationing during the year, traffic on the highways to and from outdoor sporting and other gatherings, together with the customary pleasure travel on Saturdays and Sundays, has continued to be heavy, particularly during holiday periods. The Centennial Celebrations held at Dunedin were also responsible for considerably increased traffic on the highways in that district. The Inspectors examined more than twenty-five thousand applicants for drivers' licences. The duties of the Department's Inspectors have included testing new applicants and drivers seventy years of age and over for driving licences ; checking speeds of motorvehicles and behaviour of motorists on the highway ; piloting vehicles carrying specially large loads on narrow roads ; control at scenes of accidents ; inquiries and enforcement in connection with wandering stock ; checking lighting offences by cyclists during hours

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District. Chief Traffic Inspectors. Assistant Chief Traffic Inspectors. Senior Traffic Inspectors. Traffic Inspectors. Total. Head Office 1 1 1 3 Auckland 1 1 2 28 32 Wellington 1 1 2 29 33 Christchurcli 1 1 2 21 25 Dunedin 1 1 15 17 Totals, 1948 5 5 7 93 110 Totals, 1947 5 5 4 79 93