WARNING GIVEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 144, 21 June 1939, Page 13

WARNING GIVEN.

FITNESS WARRANTS.

RISK OF PROSECUTION.

AMENDMENTS NECESSART ?

Once again the vexed question of warrants of fitness for motor oars arose in the Police Court this morning, when the police, in complaining that very few motorists carried warrants as demanded in the regulations, issued a warning that in future those car owners found without them would bo prosecuted. As the result of remarks made by counsel appearing for one of the many persons charged with failing to carry warrants of fitness, representations are now to be made to the Minister of Transport, thr Hon. R. Semplc, with a view to amending the regulations. "There are quite h few prosecutions before the Court to-day, and again I wish to impress upon" motorists the necessity for each t<. curry a warrant--•f fitness in his car." said' Senior Sergeant Calwell. "In nearly every case where motor cars are involved in a collision, or where a driver is stopped for some reason by the police, it is found that the driver is unable to produce a Wiiriant of fitness. "In tact, in almost two-thirds of the cases we. find that there is no warrant in existence. The usual excuse is that they have overlooked thejnatter or have askerl someone else to obtain a warrant. "Iμ the past we have endeavoured to ascertain whether a warrant has been obtained, and where one is in existence, but is not carried in the car. we have not prosecuted. However, this causes much work and trouble on the part of the police. In future, in all cases. unless some very good reason is advanced, we inteud to see that prosecutions follow, without investigating whether there is a warrant or not. In most cases we have found that the warrants have expired.' , " Something Wrong."

Mr. T. .(. Coldstine. appearing for Jetendant, »aid that in view of the number of cii, M . s coming before the Court where owner* were cliariied with no! carrying the warrant of fitness, the p,.|>oiis charged respectable and lawiihiding ritizen-. it made one think there miast he something «ron« with the lobulations. Cars had to be re-licenscd on a pertain date. May HI. and the public, knew this. Notification was also fjiven in the Pie."*, and the. name thi'ij; applied to drivers' licence*, wireless s.-ts and tho payment of taxation. No trouble wais ex|»erienced, and the pub':-.-were able to comply. Therefore it must be apparent, to the Court that them must be .--oniethinp wronjj witli the regulations dealing «itli the warrants ot fitness. "I think the matter should be brnuslit before the Minister of Transport an.i the Department, but it should lie. brought to their notice by the Court, which deals with these ca«-o,'' added Mr. Goldstine. Mr. Goldetine suggested that the regulations mignt possibly be to provide that a warrant of fitnv<ss should be produced before a car lican-o was renewed. This could be do.ie annually, the warrant of fitnee* to produced ajjain six months thereafter. This would have the advantage of fixing definite dates. The magistrate. -Mr. J. Moiling, snid it \v,i- (jllite clr.tr t'l.il in many .-.1-i's there was no d-.-I'-ra te desire to nv.ii.l til-.- re-uliitioiis. 1; u.-i- l-iii much t.i P\pect iM-ople t,. ciMM'inl-ci tin- .-xh-\ ihitei. lie v.u- <jl«d to hem lh" renin"rrt of the f- nior • i'jeant and coilll-el, and ne thought it, would be worth wUi a making tin- representations rmgges'.M. He would make rej.resentations to 111'. , aifthorities to rt'c if the regulation-, could be amende<l to meet the present difficulty. Perhaps it would be bestir if the representations were male through the Automobile Association. Mr. <;old*tine said he would confer with the association's solicitor.