No amnesty on w.o.f.

Press, 18 December 1976, Page 6

No amnesty on w.o.f.

The Minister of Transport; (Mr McLachlan) has declined; to grant an amnesty in ■ Christchurch on overdue war- 1 rants of fitness. The amnesty had been I *ought by Mr B. G. Barclay. [ member of Parliament fori Christchurch Central, after ai refusal by the Ministry ofj Transport to allow overtime! at its testing stations in I Christchurch. In a telegram to Mr Bar-| clay yesterday, Mr McLach-i lan said he regretted the de-1 dav at the two stations, but I it was necessary for the Ministry to keep within its bud- 1 get In Christchurch, the chief j vehicle inspector (Mr T. J. I Spackman) said that an am-j nesty would have made I things very difficult, because! of vehicle insurance policies.; Mr Spackman said he was, not surprised that the request for overtime was declined.

; “It would not solve the problem completely, anyway,” he 11 said. “We need half-hour • 1 lunch . breaks all the j'ear round, so that men can be i shifted when things get J busy.” ■ The two vacancies at the ■stations have not been filled jyet, and so all lanes cannot jbe manned simultaneously. i The queues in the last two {days, however, have not been | so long. “The longest wait ivesterday was about half an hour, apart from some motorists who arrived at 7.30 a.m.. when the stations These people waited about an hour,” said Mr . Spackman. I Mr Barclay made his appeal to the Minister on Wednesday, after he himself had {waited more than an hour jand a half for a warrent of i fitness. “It is ridiculous that ; motorists are queuing for one i to two hours. Until the Min-

istrv provides a reasonable service, there should be an amnesty on overdue warrants,” he said. 1 Mr Barclay said many ■people were unable to take I two hours off work at this time of year just to get a [Warrant. “But i am sure that when they' want to visit friends and relatives over Christmas, the lack of a warrant is not going to keep them at home,” he said. Mr McLachlan reminded motorists that warrants could be got. outside Christchurch. Garages at Belfast, Marshland, Burwood, Lyttelton and Tai Tapu as well as the Sockburn testing station, administered by the Paparua County Council, would do the job. However, motorists are advised to make an appointment at service stations, or they might be in for another long wait.