MOTOR VEHICLES BILL

Evening Star, Issue 18715, 18 August 1924, Page 10

MOTOR VEHICLES BILL

A SATISFACTORY MEASURE. PROMINENT MOTORIST’S VIEWS. Air A. E. Ansell, an ex-president of the Otago Alotor Club and an executive member of the South Island Motor Union, was asked this morning to express his views on the Motor Vehicles Bill which has just passed its first reading in Parliament. Mr Ansell said that motor organisations were very pleased that the Bill had been brought forward, as for the last four years they had been agitating for this measure and for better control of traffic. “ The Government is using it,” he said, “ as a revenue-producing scheme, but the motor organisations consider that the fees prescribed in the Act are quite reasonable, and are, as a matter of fact, the fees agreed upon by motor associations in conference in Wellington. The associations recognise that, in view of the,ever-in-creasing motor traffic, something must be done to regulate motor traffic, and the endorsement or cancellation of licenses will certainly be a brake on reckless driving. That, after all, as far‘as motorists are' concerned, is the important thing in the Act.

” There are three fees payable under the Act—first, the initial registration of 20s, which is not a recurring charge; second, the annual license fee of £2 (motor cycles 10s) i third, the annual driver’s licensN of ss. The first two are payable into the Highways Account, and tlm driver’s license goes to the local authority. " Objections have been made by municipalities to the registration fees being paid into the Highways Account, and in order to get over that difficulty motor organisations suggested that the annual fee of 5s for drivers' licenses should be payable to the local authority. This places them in a better position than formerly. _ " The motor organisations are not m favor of drivers’ licenses being in the hands of local authorities, and consider that it would be better if those were handled ihy the police, became, after all, the police have to deal with the administration of the law," Air Ansell said that one satisfactory feature of the Bill, as far as motorists were concerned, is that the Act provides that when the annual license has been obtained the car may be used on any road in New Zealand. This prevents any local authority from levying further charges on motors, excepting heavy commercial motors and cars plying for hire. It was also satisfactory to note that all fines recovered in respect to offences .against the Act would be paid Into the Highways Account. A further provision prevents any person under fifteen years of age from driving on the road, and this (Air Ansell says) is considered a very necessary restriction. A most important section of the Act prescribes for the fixing of efficient brakes on,motor vehicles, and provides for the inspection of these. “ This is a very important provision,” said Mr Ansell. “ es at the present, time a great deal of carelessness Exists'in regard to brakes, quite a number of drivers neglecting this important part of the car. This provision will certainly tend' to lessen the number of accidents. It is quite a common practice in .America for motor inspectors to hold up several cars and order them to a nnrago for brakes to he inspected and tested. If this were carried out in Now Zealand it would certainly bo a big improvement on present day conditions. “ .Speaking generally of the Act, it appears to he quite satisfactory; hut it is considered that far too much is left to he dealt with by the which contain many important provisions that should be prescribed in more definite form and included in the Act itself. • . “ One matter which lias evidently been overlooked, and one that is worth serious cor side-ration, is the matter of compulsory third-party insurance. The reason for the suggestion is that, In the event of a car owner with, perchance, no funds, killing a man, the man’s dependents would bo unable to obtain any financial redress, whereas if car owners were compelled to insure there would be provision against this contingency. “ The endorsement or cancellation ol license for serious offences under the Act meets with the full approval of motor associations, as the associations have aiwavs used their influence to suppress, reckless driving. The penalty for being in a state of intoxication while m charge of a motor vehicle makes the. person liable to a fine of £IOO or three months’ imprisonment. This places in the hands of magistrates a good weapon with which t“ combat this dangerous and unfortunately common offence. • “ The Act is rather uncertain in the matter of’ assigning new numbers to all motor vehicles, and if that is intended it will cost motorists in New Zealand hundreds of pounds, which is considered unnecessary expenditure. “ There can bo no question thnf. motor associations will use every effort to secure the passing of the Bill, and whatever criticism is made will he made with the sole idea 'of making the Bill more efficient.”