MOTOR LICENSES.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19311, 16 May 1928, Page 11

MOTOR LICENSES.

MAGISTRATE'S DECISION AS PRECEDENT. [THE PKESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, May 15. The opinion recently expressed by Mr J. H. Luxford,. 5.M.,. at Hamilton, that last year's motor drivers' licenses were permanently valid, owing to the manner in which the Statute had been drafted, was advanced, in defence of a motorist charged in the Magistrate's' Court to-day with not being the holder of a motor driver's license. Messrs H. W. Coy and M. Marks, J.P.'s, were on the Bench. Defendant's.counsel (Mr H. F. Johnstone) submitted that it was unwise to have one interpretation of the Act in one Court and another interpretation in another Court. Counsel contended that it would be discourteous for the Bench to pay no attention to the judgment of Mr Luxford. If the Bench did not agree with Mr Luxford it was going to lie extremely inconvenient.

Senior-Sergeant Scott, who prosecuted, contended that defendant's li- : cense expired on March 31st, 1928, and that if defendant failed to take out a new license he drove his car after t.hat date without one. The Senior-Sergeant added that since Mr Lusford's judgment there had been a .number of convictions for not having licenses. The hearing of the charge against defendant was adjourned sine die, it being mutually agreed by the Bench, defendant's counsel, and the SeniorSergeant that it was probably advisable for the charge to he heard by a Magistrate.