CAR REGISTRATIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 January 1926, Page 6

CAR REGISTRATIONS

NEW SYSTEM’S SUCCESS. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 20. Motor vehicles in this country continue to increase in numbers very rapidly, as evident from the latest returns now available. These returns include all registrations to December 31 last, the total being now well over 123,000. Commenting on the subject to-day, the Minister of Internal Affairs said that the system adopted of collecting registrations was quite successful and adequate. It was soon possible to trace any motor vehicle wherever it may go The returns show that registered on the books of the Department there are 123,396 vehicles, made up as follow:— North Island : Cars, 49,815 ; trucks

and similar vehicles, 11,356; motor cycles, 14,125 ; total 75,296. •South Island: Cars, 31,847; trucks and similar vehicles, 5,039; motor cycles, 11,214; total 48,100. Grand total, 123,396. The Dominion is divided into eighteen districts, of which No. 1 (Auckland district) is in the lead with 15,336 registrations ; No. 9 (Wellington district) a. close second with 15,274 ; No 14 (Christchurch district) third, with 14,998. Then comes No. 2 (which includes a large portion of Auckland province, the chief centres of which ace Waikato, Franklin, Hauraki Plains) with 1.1,437. No. 12 district (including Buller, Grey, Inangahua and Westland) has 1574 registrations, while two other districts, No. 6 (Taumarunui and Waitomo), No. 13 (Amuri and Cheviot), are in the tail of registrations with 1512 and 1343 respectively. Commenting on the returns, the Minister expressed the opinion that they exceeded expectations. The scheme was an entirely new undertaking, and he was glad to state the system inaugurated for making a complete register over the growing motor traffic in the Dominion was working very smoothly. This was largely due to the kenness and efficiency of the officers who were handling the scheme. They were now properly into their stride and complaints were only of very occasional occurrence. As the scheme becomes elaborated it. will be possible to trace any particular vehicle, where ever it may go, a position highly desirable-