NEW YELLOW PLATES

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 209, 1 June 1936, Page 8

NEW YELLOW PLATES

Licensing of Cars in Wellington

MANY DRIVERS DILATORY

Relicensing of motor-ears and motorear drivers proceeded smoothly at the Wellington Town Hull on Saturday. There was a rush in the morning, but little business was done in the afternoon and evening. When the temporary office in the concert chamber closed for the week-end all except about .2000 of the motor-vehicles registered in Wellington had been relicensed, but less than half the drivers licensed by the Wellington City Council had renewed their papers.

By law no driver who has not renewed his or her license should drive to-day or hereafter unless the license is renewed, and no motor-vehicle which does not bear the new yellow and black number plates may now be used on the road. The office at the Town Hall will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to-day. From to-morrow morning the work will be done at the post office and the city traffic office. King’s Birthday Made Difference. The post office section of the concert chamber, where are employed 40 or 5Q clerks, many of whom work out of sight of the public, was busy until 1 p.m. on Saturday, but was quiet in the afternoon and at night. At th e close of business on Friday night the sets of plates issued in Wellington had reached the total of 9236. Another 809 were issued on Saturday, so that the total is now 10,045. At the close of business on May 30, 1935, 0049 pairs of plates had been issued, so it appears that a smaller proportion of cars has been relieensed as promptly as was the case last year. One reason for this is undoubtedly the absence of the King's Birthday holiday on June 3. Hitherto motor-car owners have been encouraged by the holiday to secure their new plates before the beginning of June. Again, it has been unnecessary to rellcense yet those cars which are used at week-ends only. June 1 last year was a Saturday, so prompt telicensing was encouraged. Extra Hours Used Little.

The total number of drivers’ licenses issued by the close of business on Saturday night was 7500. The Wellington City Council has the names of 15(800. (drivers in its records, so about 8300 persons have not yet renewed. The same dilatoriness was experienced last year. The reason is undoubtedly that an out-of-date driver’s license Is not readily detected, as is an out-of-date number plate. The ten clerks engaged on this work had more to do on Friday night than they could handle immediately, and another rush occurred at a period on Saturday morning, but. at nights and on Saturday afternoon very little was dune. Mr. H. E. Nicholls, who is in charge of the relicenslug of drivers,, expressed disappointment that the public had not taken more advantage of the extrr hours, and said he expected a rush today.

City traffic officers have been busy with the examination of licensed trade vehicles, taxi-cars, trucks, and other public vehicles, at the corporation Yard, Clyde Quay. This annual examination is insisted upon prior to the resissue of operating licenses. The examination covers brakes, lights, tires engine condition, shackles and spring, ing, and body work. A number of private owners have also had their cars examined, mainly as to brake efficiency and correct light adjustment.