CAR CERTIFICATES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 106, 15 February 1937, Page 3

CAR CERTIFICATES

AUTHORITY FOR ISSUE. WIDER DISTRIBUTION URGED. (Special to the ** Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A petition against the granting of the sole right of issuing certificates of fitness for motor vehicles under the Traffic Regulations, 1936, to those members of tbe New Zealand Garage Proprietors' Association who aie owneis of A grade garages lias been signed and sent to the Minister for Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) by 40 garage proprietors in and around Christchurch. The petition claims that the association is primarily an organisation to protect motor car importers, and it states that a movement is on foot to form a Motoi Engineers’ Industrial Union of Em ployers. The petition asks the Minister that in tbe meantime lie will not allow a small minority of garages to obtain tbe benefit of the lemedial log islation to the detriment of skilled motor engineers. “Without drawing comparisons with tbe mode in which work is carried out in garages that have been issued with A grade certificates, wo respectfully submit that the testing of motor vehicles can bo carried out as efficiently and conscientiously in our garages as in those issued with certificates,’’ the petition states. “Many of us employ mechanics, apprentices and garage assistants on our staffs. Wo feel that if we are not permitted to issue such warrants our-re-gular customers will draw an erroneous conclusion that our garages are inferior to those controlled by the holdei s of A grade certificates; that such a feeling"" will lead to a serious loss to us of the ipatronage of such customers, in the end jeopardising the existence of our respective businesses and the employment of our staffs. Inspections Asked For. “As our customers are already seeking information regarding the issue of warrants of fitness for their vehicles, we respectfully ask you to cause an inspection to be made of our garages to ascertain whether or not- A grade certificates should be issued in respect thereof. As this would take some time, during which period our businesses will suffer greatly, wo further ask you whether you would bo so good as to issue to us temporary certificates of fitness pending such examination. “Most of the signatories hereto are not members of tbe New Zealand (ullage Proprietors’ Association, which is not registered as an industrial union of employers and which the majority of us feel is an organisation primarily set up and suited to protect motor-car importers in matters relative to tariff.

“We are genuine motor engineers, and feel that it would be in the interests of ourselves, our employees, and of tbe public generally to form a union of employers. A movement is on foot to form such a union almost immediately, and wo trust that in the meantime vou will not allow a small minority of garages to obtain tbe benefit of your remedial legislation to the detriment oi skilled motor engineers.”