HEAVY TRAFFIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 125, 29 May 1925, Page 3

HEAVY TRAFFIC.

THE QUESTION OF FEES. MOUNT EDEN'S POSITION. DUAL PAYMENTS POSSIBLE. A somewhat peculiar position has arisen as a result of the Mount Eden Borough Council's decision to issue heavy traffic licenses, and as a result owners of heavy motor vehicles have every reason to feel concerned about the matter. At last night's meeting of the City Council the whole situation was set out by the chief traffic inspector, Mr. George Ilogan, who furnished a series of reports. He submitted copies of advertisements inserted in the newspapers by the Mount Eden Borough Council, calling on owners of heavy traffic vehicles to obtain heavy traffic licenses at the borough offices, and also calling on drivers of cars garaged in Mount Eden to do likewise. Mr. Ilogan said it was apparent that it was the intention of the Mount Ldcn Council to compete against the City Council In the issuing of these licenses, and that according to clause 15 of the regulations under the Public Works Art, 1024, it was not competent for the Mount Eden Council to issue heavy traffic licenses for 1925. Clause 15 reads as follows:—"No heavy traffic license fee other than that fixed by these regulations shall be made, levied, charged or collected by any local authority having control of the roads or streets, in respect of any motor lorry, but in any case in which any such local authority has already issued a heavy traffic license in respect of any motor lorry, or in any case in which the owner of a motor lorry is, prior to the coming into force of these regulations, liable to obtain a heavy traffic license from any such local authority in respect of any motor lorry, a. license under these regulations shall not be issued until the expiration of the license issued by such local authority or the expiration of the license which any motor lorry owner was liable to obtain on the date on which these regulations came into force. Nothing herein shall affect the liability of the owner of any motor lorry to obtain and pay for >eavy traffic license under these regulations after December 31, lf)2o." Dealing with the mr.fter of motor drivers' licenses the traffic inspector reported that the council had communicated with the Mount Eden Council when it to l>,. mad.- for the City Council to be Ihe ip-iniig authority for these licenses tf'r various local authorities including -Mount Eden. He said that unless the Mount Eden Council had a competent staff to test drivers it was possible that at an early date the city streets would be used by indifferent drivers who would prove a menace to public safety. The Leg.il and Finance Committee submitted a report prepared by the city wlicitr.r. Tn this the city solicitor said that the advertisement relating to heavy traffic licenses seemed to have been inserted under a misapprehension of the position under the regulations, particularly as it was affected by clause l. r >. lie suggested that representations might he made to the borough council proposing that it make it clear in its advertisements that it was referring only to vehicles which had not become liable to license fees under the City Council's bylaws. The council could "not. of course, prevent the Mount. Eden Council from collecting heavy traffic fees, but the public should know that payment of these fees would not relieve them from liat.ility to pay the City Council's license fees. ITe said the position as to drivers' licenses whs, of course, different, and unless arrangements had been concluded "herein- the City Council licensed drivers for the borough of Mount Eden ;h<- boroiigli council might itself issue