MOTOR REGULATIONS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10350, 14 March 1925, Page 5

MOTOR REGULATIONS

QUESTION OF LICENSE FEES.

CONFERENCE OF LOCAL BODIES,

(Per Press Association.} TIMARU, This Day. A conference of representatives of local bodies was held in Timaru yesterday afternoon to consider the amended regulations governing motor vehicles under the new Motor Vehicles Act. The Mayor of Timaru (Mr G. J. Wallace)

presided. .„ , , • • n Mr O. J. Talbot said that originally the local bodies were to fix the fees, but in the amended regulations the Government fixed the fees. He did not think there would be any necessity to make by-laws; the regulations would take the place of by-laws. Mr G. Dash (representing the Motor Transport Association) suggested that the registered carrying capacity of a motor truck should be the basis ol classification, and not as suggested in the amended regulations. If the association agreed to a payment of £5 per ton truck, plus the £6 already, paid, that would be a fair thing. It was most unfair to differentiate between the carry"ng of freight and passengers. The fees fixed under the amended regulations were utterly ridiculous. The poor unfortunate who had a motor lorry, which, with its load exceeded 10 tons, was in a very sorry plight. There was no hope for such a man; he would be cut right out. On behalf of the Transport Association, Mr Dash asked the meeting to ask the Government to eliminate the present classification, and to substitute tor it

a license fee of £5 per ton truck; to delete the narrow tyres ; and not to differentiate between freight and passenger weight- „ ~ ,i x Mr W T. Lill (Ashburton) said that the one-ton truck was about the most useful thing the farmer had, and he would like to see the fee for these fixed at £.3. It was the heavier vehicles which did the damage to the

It was decided: (1) That all motor lorries in excess of the maximum weight under the regulations, which have already been imported, be allowed to

operate until they are worn out. but no fresh • importations of such lorries I to be allowed; <2) that the minimum width of any tyre shall be three inches, no car to be fitted with narrower tyres than those originally fitted by the makers • (3) that the classification of motoi lorries stand as in the regulations; (4) that permits be granted for pafsengei vehicles where it is deemed advisable to exceed the speed limit laid down m the regulations: (5) the height and width of load, equipment classification of roads, heavy traffic licenses, indicator discs, the operation of "censes, and the production of licenses, were all

acrreed to in the regulations Mr Lill said he thought that motor

! vehicles carrying mails and passengers to the railways should be given a reduction of 50 per cent, on the amounts set out in the regulations It was finally decided to ask for a reduction of one-third of the tax on all vehicles which feed the railways, and which ply for hire in one county only.