ARMY VEHICLES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20618, 20 November 1941, Page 4

ARMY VEHICLES

CIVIL GARAGE WORK GISBORNE COMMITTEE PROTECTION OF TRUCKS An agreement between garage proprietors in Gisborne and the Army Department, covering repair work on army vehicles in civil garages, has been reached during the past few days on terms regarded as satisfactory by the proprietors. In order to ensure that the work is evenly distributed, and that garages equipped for particular jobs are given those jobs, a committee of representative garage men has been appointed comprising Messrs. A. H. Collett, A. E. Allen and.C. Hillyard. One function of the committee will be to act as a channel for negotiation between the army and the proprietors in general, and to elimi/natc ithe necessity of direct dealing with individual owners of shops. '

This condition has been imposed as a result of experience on the part of the Army Department in earlier dealings with individuals. In future, if a dispute arises as to the standard of work done on army vehicles, or on any other point, it will be the responsibility of the committee to settle the matter in dispute. The committee will be under the obligation of ensuring that a high standard of workmanship and material is maintained. System of Checking A further point is that regulations will be administered by the committee to protect army vehicles while in the hands of garagemen. A system of checks upon petrol content of tanks, oil content, and general condition of vehicles dealt with under the agreement will operate constantly. Mechanics will be closely controlled in their handling of the vehicles, and in particular there'will be an absolute minimum of test running on the roads. It has been explained to the committee that in the past army vehicles were regarded as fair game by some garage men and their staffs, and that the new regulations are expressly to protect the public funds against exploitation. The garage men have accepted the regulations as reasonable, and have given an undertaking to apply them constantly. Their representative committee will be in a position to discipline any member of their association who fails in his obligations, but it is not anticipated that this disciplinary power will have ta be invoked.