MOTOR VEHICLES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 81, 2 October 1924, Page 9

MOTOR VEHICLES

THE PROPOSED BILL

DISCUSSION BY AUTOMOBILE

UNION

RECOMMENDATIONS TO" THE

GOVERNMENT.

.Various aspects of the proposed.Motor Vehicles Act, which is., at, present receiving the consideration of a.Cohimitr:. i,ee. ! P I. tn? -House of Representatives,' were discussed at,a; joint meeting of. representatives 'of the" New .Zealand.Auto-, mobile' Union ■' and the"' South 'Island Automobile Union yesterday afternoon;— and several amendments were decided on fon submission to the Committee. The president of the New Zealand Union (Mr. W.-H. Booth) was "in,the chair.".. Mr. J....D. Bince (chairman... of ;the;. Counties' Association)'. said Jie. _ bopedto give, the ;meeting' an.'.idea :of the counties' point of view. As far as the Bill- was concerned-,-it-had- beeh--well-receiyed—everywhere.— -There-were, of. course, - one or. two objections. ..Onei'of these was "the flat rate of liaises, as;: it was thought that it was rather inequitable. ..Another point that they; wished to".'stress' was that the licenses shduld be issued by."the police',; instead" "of" the. postmasters in the various districts? Itwas possible that these difficulties-would be overcome. " The Bill was,"; of "course, of vast importance to' the.Main High-' w-ays Board, of which he-was a mem--bor. He claimed to represent ■ a "large number of motorists, arid ie would ask jthem to come'together as. much-^as pos[sible,,so that..they,, might.. :present;;ac. iunited front, to .the' Committee';of the House. Th ey should go to the - Commit-" tee and-say: "We want" this Bill.". and in order to- get itCwe. are-prepared-to. sink minor differences."; ;.(Applauso.),'..,

PRoyisidNs' pf!^t~VvTtil

A general discission ■'• on - the provisions of the proposed Bill followed. Mr.' C. M. Banks (Wellington)... suggested that light trailers used occasionally if or carrying luggage should"-■ be - - exempt from tax. ""■

Mr. I. V. Wilson (Wairarapa) objected to this. He was firmly of the opinion that the trailers should* be t^ied," as.it often happened, that "trailers were used for carrying heavy goods;.-- •"•-"":..', -".■-.. Mr.VH. Halliday (Dunedin) -said, it was felt in the South" Island that .there should be an exemption' up "to' scwtr This was agreed to. .'-■ On the motion of Mr. L; A: Edwards (Wellington) it was decided to suggest. to the Committee that __ a;._mptor-car might be permitted to carry "nine" passengers before it came"uhdef'tli'e'.definition of an omnibus:,'. The ..Act, ".at present provided for ; the.; carrying of eight persons

A decision was also- reached-that trie words "not exceeding", should .be., added to the Bill in-regard to all;fines,"...and should also' apply to all -terms of-^im-prisonment. . ........... ......^

PAYMENT OF TAXES; ) The question was raised whether motorists should have to pay taxes to all controlling . bodies. It seemed reasonable that they should pay taxes to one main body, and it was moved that several clauses referring to the pay/ ment of taxes, including that to . the Hutt Boad Board, should be deleted from the Bill.

INIr. I. V. Wilson said that in his opinion motorists should fight - against the Hutt road tax.

Mr, C. M. Bank's (Wellington) sounded a note- of warning. If they- suggested such alterations as had been put forward it would probably have'the effect of holding up the Bill. Before,the Motor Vehicles ,JJill could be passed it would be. cnecessary, to repeal certain, provisions in the Hutt-Road Bill. .Mr." M.;"H.* Wyhyaid,""- representing motorists oil, the Main. Highways Board, said. he . was inclined to be of the same 'opinion as Mr. Banks. I£ they. insisted on; the amendments that had been suggested they-might jeopar' disc the progress of the Bill altogether. The question of the payment of fees, had already received . the,, attention, .of the "Main Highways Board, and without going into the details' of the proposition, which was rather, involved,. he wouhT inform them that-there was a proposal that they should pay one feai ttb the local body which controlled the. \eiitre. where the motorist's; garage was situated. The object of the - proposal was to overcome the rather chaotic position which now prevailed. ' There, was now before a special committee of the Main; Highways Board a proposal for doing away with--toll-gates. ■ (Hear,hear.) However," at the present" time, that;; was a matter of negotiation, and he could not throw much light on the position. The-.'question- of / the Hutfc' Road Act had not been,,considered, by the Main. Highways .Board,, as it cameinto force-before the Main Highways Board was brought" into" operation. ' ."."•• It was decided to .withdraw .the .mo*, tion for the deletion of the clauses men-, tioned, '.' ' -•'' OTHER PROPOSALS.::-,._.:._. A proposal that -■'■ licenses -to - drivs should, not be issued to persons oleither sex :under.the .age of 16 years" was carried. . " ■-.-• --...■ ..V.-.-.,.. It was also-decided to- recommend to the-Government that persons-who had the power to stop vehicles should either wear uniforms or should"" have; some badge of- authority. - - • .--■■.-.-... --- ..,...; Other suggestions made'were, "Than it should be made compulsory for the owner to notify change of address-with-in 14 day's." "No license shall-be issued to any person who. has been refused a license in another district." "That the right of appeal-shall be extended to cases of suspension." "That notices should be placed indicating the prohibition •or restriction oi the use of roads and bridges." . ".' ;.- ' On the motion, of Mr. .Edwards..ifc was- decided to recommend-that acjause) should be inserted in the Bill to regulate pedestrian traffic across streets." Mr. A. E. Ansell (Dunedin) remarked that it was-possible that a Traffic Bill would be introduced before" very "long, and this would probably "deal'"With" the. matter raised by Mr. Edwards. Several other minor" points were also discussed. .. > . ; . -. ■■■•■;