TESTING VEHICLES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 154, 27 March 1937, Page 14

TESTING VEHICLES

Garages Abnormally ; Busy EXPLOITATION DENIED Wereditod garages for the testing of motor vehicles for warrants of fitness in the Hutt Valiev arc all being kept abnormally busy just now. As the month has advanced the volume of business through this channel has steadily increased. Garage proprietors are emphatic on the point that there Ims been absolutely no exploitation. Those testing motor vehicles nave been firm but. reasonable, ami eAery care has been taken to ensure that no warrant ,s issued in cases where vehicles are not roadworthy. This attitude lias been adopted by garage proprietors in accordance with the demands placed upon them. They contend that failure to adhere rigidly to this would damage their reputation. G- .orally, only minor adjustments have boon required, but there have been cases, usually with old vehicles, where m.jor repairs have been necessary before a warrant could be granted. In most instances headlights have had to be set down. A number of new windscreen wipers have had to be fitted to replace handoperated apparatus, and others that, had failed to work. The demand for these has been such that a shortage of supplies now exists. Brakes have been found generally to be good, but numerous minor adjustments have been necessary. Care has been taken to avoid the public getting the impression that the test is a method of exploitation. The general practice of the garages in the valley, the'proprietors said, had been to pay attention only to the requirements of the test, except where owners herwise directed. The month started fairly quietly, but th; number of vehicles taken into garages for testing has steadily increased. So far, however, there has been no noticeable tendency of the owners of vehicles in a bad condition holding off as long as possible. One proprietor said that durin - the first week in March the daily average of cars taken into his establishment was eight, and the number has increased until just before Easter 15 vehicles a day were being handled.