The Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1890. THE TRACTION ENGINE NUISANCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2381, 21 March 1890, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1890. THE TRACTION ENGINE NUISANCE.

Over the signature "Highway," a 5 correspondent addressed to us on Wednesday last a very sensible and much-called-for letter on the subject of the danger to the ordinary vehicular traffic on the pnblic roads caused by the traction engines which, at this season of the year, are so often met with by the traveller Snorting, steaming and belching forth 6moke, and sometimetimes flame, "Highway " by no means inappropriately dubs them " infernal machines," for no monster more suggestive of regions unmentionable has yet been invented by the ingenuity of man, They are calculated to strike terror into the breast of the "untutored savage," but as there are none of these about—in the country at anyrate, the town has a few in the shape of larrikins-—-it wouldn't be of muoh consequence but for the fact that they are the very taipo himself to horses who can't be educated up to enduring them at any price. The driver of a timid horse, especially if he be also a timid driver, is in danger of his life every time he encounters these monsters, and some exceedingly narrow escapes have already occurred, presaging inevitable fatalities unless something be done to ensure some regard on the part of the drivers for the safety of travellers. A number of very sensible and practical suggestions are offered by our correspondent, some of which have already been anticipated by the County Council in the special by-laws which it has passed for regulating this description of traffic. These were published in our columns on the 10th July, 1878, and provided inter alia as follows:—

2. It shall not be lawful for any person to propel any traction engine or to cause the same to be propelled upon, along, or over any public road, highway, or bridge unless the engine shall be accompanied by two men at the least, whose function it shall be to keep a constant look-out, both in front and behind the engine, for horses and vehicles which may be approaching, tc warn the riders and drivers of such horses and vehicles of the proximity ot the engine, and to assist them in passing the engine in safety. The driver of the engine shall stop the same upon being signalled to do so. 4. It shall not be lawful for any person to propel any traction engine, or to cause the same to be propelled upon along or over any public road or highway, unless the said engine shall have painted in plain and legible letters npmsome conspicuous part of the off-side thereof, the full name and address of the owner of the engine. The further provisions indicated by " Highway " might alsc well be adopted i by the Council in tho shape of supplementary ?)Y-laws, but even then it will be useless to have a perfect law unless there be a perfect enforcement. Only recently the Council notified its intention 1 to vigorously insist upon its by-laws being observed, and we hope that this will speedily bo emphasised by proceedings being taken for their infraction •gainst the first offender detected—as our lively French friends put it pour encourager Us autres.