REGISTRATION PLATES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28987, 31 August 1959, Page 17

REGISTRATION PLATES

Minister Agrees To Representations

Representations made by the New Zealand Racing Drivers’ Club during the last season that cars participating in racing and speed events need not carry registration plates ha e been agreed to by the Minister of Transport (Mr Mathison). Advice of this has been received by the club secretary (Mr B. H. Paton) from the Commissioner of Transport (Mr H. B. Smith).

In his letter to Mr Paton, Mr ■Smith said that when the next amendment to the Transport Act was submitted to the Cabinet for transmission to the House of Representatives. the proposal would be included. "Last season officials of the As-1 sociation of New Zealand Car Clubs had insisted that all drivers in the international races should have registration plates affixed to their racing cars. The issue was not forced at Ardmore, but the showdown came at Wigram.” said Mr Paton. “Many leading racing drivers refused to comply and sought the intervention of the Minister of Transport, who was present. “The Minister agreed that the requirements of the law were not intended to cover racing cars and that'a technical anomaly existed which was without value to anyone. Mr Mathison said that he was very impressed with the observations of the international driver. Jack Brabham, who said that New Zealand was the only country in the world which had such a rule, and that the fixing of registration plates on racing cars was a highly dangerous practice," said Mr Paton.