D.—l.

Speeds on Main Highways. The speed of motor traffic on main highways is often the subject of much comment, in which opinions differ as to what may be termed the prevailing speeds at which motor-vehicles travel. While this question usually stimulates considerable public interest because of its relation to the problem of road safety, it is also of great importance to roading authorities as a vital factor in determining matters relative to highway standards and design. In the absence of authentic data it has been necessary for technical staff to depend largely upon general observations and knowledge gained from years of practical experience. However, in order to secure more reliable information on the matter, a number of speed tests were carried out during the year in each highway district throughout the Dominion. Although the results are not claimed'to be absolutely conclusive, they provide an indication of the range of speeds at which motor-vehicles travel under certain conditions. In conducting these tests vehicles were carefully timed over selected paved sections of approximately one mile of main highway on which sight distances were good and no cross-roads existed. The sections comprised flat to easy grades, on straights, and the tests were taken when the pavement was dry and when no patrol officers were in evidence.

205

Average Daily Number of Motor - Tally-point. Traffic towards vohklra as per 1934-35. 1937-38. No. 18 District: Invercargill— continued. Tisbury.. .. .. •. •. Invercargill .. .. .. 129 157 ,, . . .. .. .. Fortrose .. .. .. .. 139 Kennington .. .. .. .. Dunedin .. .. .. 395 614 „ .. .. .. . . Invercargill .. .. .. 487 762 „ .. . . .. .. Waikawa .. .. .. 201 263 Lorne .. .. .. .. Invercargill .. .. .. 1,257 1,720 Riverton .. .. .. 870 1,256 „ .. .. .. .. .. Hedgehope .. .. .. 123 171 Hedgehope .. .. .. .. Browns .. .. .. 79 114 „ Gore 97 123 ,, .. .. .. .. Lorne .. .. .. .. 50 60 Winton .. .. .. • ■ Makarewa .. .. .. 350 485 „ .. .. .. .. Oreti .. .. .. .. 181 232 „ .. .. .. .. Centre Bush .. .. .. 198 299 Argvle .. .. .. ■ • • • Invercargill .. .. .. 398 569 „ .. .. .. .. Riverton .. .. .. 291 430 „ .. .. .. .. .. Tuatapere .. .. .. 161 199 Junction M.H.s 147 and 278 .. .. Riverton .. .. .. 186 274 )t .... Flint's Bush .. .. .. 83 116 ;l .... Invercargill .. .. .. 259 358 Between Riverton and Orepuki .. .. Riverton .. .. .. 85 106 Groper's Bush .. . . .. ■ ■ Thornbury .. .. .. 56 79 „ .. . . .. .. Fairfax .. .. . . Ill 162 „ .. .. . . .. Riverton .. .. .. 67 108 Fairfax .. .. .. . • Calcium .. .. .. 78 96 Otautau .. .. .. 162 171 .. .. .. .. Riverton .. .. .. 141 196 Junction M.H.s 136, 244, and 656 .. .. Paulin's Bush .. .. .. .. 17 „ .. .. Otautau .. .. .. .. 64 „ .. .. Drummond .. .. .. .. 32 „ . . .. Calcium .. .. .. • • 44 Otautau Dairy Factory .. .. .. Otautau .. .. .. 274 352 .. .. .. Nightcaps .. .. .. 134 171 „ .. .. .. Orawia .. .. .. 140 187 North of Tuatapere (M.H. 292) .. .. Tuatapere .. .. .. 133 254 .. Clifden .. .. .. .. 135 Orawia .. .. . . ■. ■ • Otautau .. .. .. 95 136 Tuatapere .. .. .. 52 80 „ Ohai 49 87 Nightcaps .. .. .. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ • ■ • 303 Winton .. .. .. 139 201 n .. .. .. .. Otautau .. .. .. 101 186 James Street (Junction M.H. 133) .. .. Waihopai Bridge, Town Terminus .. 2,438