Thousands Of Licences Still Not Renewed

Press, Issue 32333, 26 June 1970, Page 18

Thousands Of Licences Still Not Renewed

Christchurch motorists have never been so slow to renew their driving licences and reticence their vehicles—and there are only three days for them to do it.| Officials are at a loss to explain why this should be so. Nearly 12,000 Christchurch ’ motorists have yet to renew ! their driving licences, and I there are about 50,000 j vehicles which have still to be relicensed before the end! of the.month. If the rate of licence renewals was any guide, thousands of Christchurch drivers) might be without current licences next week, the Min-I Listry of Transport officer ini (charge of licence renewals! i (Mr H. Turner) said yester-i day. ( Only 22,500 of the 32,000odd driving licences due to be renewed in the city had been renewed, and he had, never known renewals to be so slow, even during the recession of three years ago, he said. Even postal renewals were slow. Last year 4000 licences were renewed by post, but so far this year less than 1000 had come in. At this time last year a cardboard carton of posted licences came in each morning, with another carton in the afternoon. Yesterday there were four licences in the afternoon mail. ( Drivers had also been slow (to present themselves for the eye-tests required of drivers lover 50 who were renewing (their licences, Mr Turner said. In contrast, nearly all the over-70 drivers required ) to undergo an annual driving test had now done so. | The licence renewals office in Manchester Street would be open until 8 o’clock this evening, and also on Tuesday evening, Mr Turner said. Time was running out for those people who had not re- ! newed their licences and who | wished to drive next month, the Christchurch city traffic | superintendent (Mr J. F. Thomas) said. ] It was an offence to drive with a licence which was not (current, and there could also I be other affects: on car insurance, for instance, Mr Thomas said. ! Those who continued to drive after Tuesday without having renewed their licences (risked being apprehended by traffic officers, he said. I When a traffic officer stopped a motorist for any reason it was usual for him to ask to see the driver’s licence. Vehicle light checks were being carried out in the city, and drivers stopped for this reason were also asked to produce their licences as

a matter of course, Mr Thomas said. Licences could be renewed] ! by post, but if motorists were! to continue to drive next] month the licences must be posted in before June 30, he i said. Christchurch opticians reported yesterday that they

had been busy with eye-tests! for drivers, and providing] spectacles for drivers who] (failed eye-tests, but not as I (busy as last year, the first! when the eye-test legislation! i became effective. None reported any significant delays. The Post Office reported yesterday that of the 107,000 vehicles due to be relicensed in the Christchurch area, only 57,000 had in fact been relicensed. The relicensing office in the Square will be open until 8 o’clock this evening. It may be easiest for many motorists to relicense at their local post office, or by post. Postal relicensing is also exceptionally slow this year, I the Post Office reported. So’ far only 2600 vehicles have been relicensed by post: at this time last year the figure was 3300.