RULE OF THE ROAD

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 85, 13 May 1929, Page 8

RULE OF THE ROAD

QUESTION OF A CHAXGE. MOTOR ISTS AND THElIt VIEIVS. Tlie question of ihe rule of tlie road was discussed at tlie half-vearly meeting of tbe Xortli Island Motor Union in "Wellington. JMr V. Duff (Nortli Taranaki) jnoved . "Tliat representations be made to tbe Minister of Transport to bave tbe Motor Regulations amended to provide that tlie rule of tbe road in New Zealaud be altered to provide tbat motoristvs should give way to traffic on tlie left instead of 011 tbe riglit as at present. Dr. E. E. Porritt (Wanganui) said if traffic had to give way on the left in older countrics it was obvious that tbe obverse rule should exist in tliis country. Mr H. C. -Toncs (Auckland) a. member of tbe Transport Board. said be doubted the statement tliat tbe rule of the road was bcing observed Th the obverse way in C anada. Mr F. J. Hill ("Wanganui) declared tbat wliat was known as tbe "offside rule" liad been adopted from tlio sea. and had been adopted in America. but had never been folloved in England. where they also had the right-hand drive. JS T r M7. Howard Booth ("Wairarapa) said tbat in 1902, while crossing from Liverpool to New York, be had had a Iieated argument about tbe rule of tbe road, in wliich be liad proved tliat TJngland was riglit and America wrong. He disagroed with tbe motion, eontending that tlie prcsent custont was tlie correct oue. Mr L. A. Edwai'ds (Wairarapa) also favoured tbe present rule of observing tbe vebicle 011 tbe riglit. i)rr L. V. Wil-son ("Wellington) eontended tliat tbe trouble was tbat 90 per cent of tbe traffic did not trnvel on tbe left-hand side of the road. Tf they were going to change tbe rule they would turn traffic topsy-turvv and cause numberless accidents. T11 replying. JUr Duff said tbat in motor traffic tliev liad a mucli more sfrions traffic problem than in tlie days of borse traffic. Tlie motion was lost bv nine votes to four.