MOTOR VEHICLES FOR HOME DEFENCE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 285, 29 August 1941, Page 6

MOTOR VEHICLES FOR HOME DEFENCE

Impressment Powers

REGULATIONS GAZETTED LAST NIGHT

Machinery for the allocation of motor-vehicles for essential home defence and civil trade is provided by the Motor-vehicle Impressment Emer-. gency Regulations gazetted last night. The regulations place on the Minister of Transport the responsibility of controlling and allocating the supply of motor-vehicles available in New Zealand in such manner as may best secure “the public safety, the defence of New Zealand, the efficient prosecution of the war,” and “the maintaining of supplies and services essential to the life of the community.” A motor-vehicle controller has been appointed, and he will be subiect to the direction of the Minister of Transport, Mr. Semple. The Minister announced that the controller would be the Commissioner of Transport, Mr. G. L. Laurenson. Mr. Laurenson will act in conjunction with an administrative committee consisting of the controller, the Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department, Mr. J. G. Young, and Mr. E. H. Langford, of the Ministry of Supply. Provision is made in the regulations for the division of New Zealand into districts and for the appointment in each district of controllers and advisory committees. The district con visory committees. The district concommittees, will be responsible for the preparation of regular schedules showing the motor-vehicle requirements of the armed forces, the civil defence authorities and transport services. They will keep detailed lists of motorvehicles available in their districts to meet these requirements. The schedules will be forwarded to the motorvehicle controller who, subject to the approval of the Minister, will take the necessary steps to have the vehicles required made available to the appropriate defence authorities. There is a right of appeal against impressment within seven days on ths grounds of undue hardship or public interest, not only In. tie case of permanent acquisition, but also in cases where vehicles are taken for use or hire. Provision is made also for payment of compensation in respect of trailers, with the assistance of the tions, and in the case of dispute regarding valuation there is provision for arbitration. In the case of “hired” vehicles or equipment any dispute shall be referred to the Local Licensing Authority whose decision is final. “The underlying principle of the regulations is to provide such machinery as will enable the different home defence organizations to be informed as to the actual vehicles which will be at tiieir disposal in an emergency,’ said the Minister,