ACCIDENT LIABILITY

Grey River Argus, 15 March 1940, Page 3

ACCIDENT LIABILITY

QUESTION FOR MOTORISTS. i CHRISTCHURCH, March 14. The proposal that motorists should be obliged to take absolute liability in j, all accidents in which their cars might ■ be involved was the subject of discussion at a meeting of the executive of the South Island Motor Union last evening. The discussion was held in committee; after it was over, the president, Mr. W. R. Carey, said that the following resolution had been passed: “The executive of the South Island Motor Union approves of the action of submitting the union’s stateI ment to the special committee which I the Attorney-General has called to < meet on April 8; the presentation of i the case should be personally supported by the attendance of the president of each of the associations in; the South Island, or his nomime;! provided that the North Island Motor Union agrees to act similarly.” The executive discussed the problems faced by motorists through the restriction on petrol; but much of the I discussion was in committee. It was I stated that the position was very d £- [' ferent in England and in Australia. ! The proposal to restrict the import 01. leaded petrol was the subject of proI test. . , ' The chairman said that in England all petrol was mixed together, and when a motorist bought petrol he. bought the one standard grade. The secretary (Mr. E. Harvey) that he had known cases where heavily-leaded petrol had corroded the tanks of cars and caused leak-; F. W. Freeman said that he had found this type of petrol very useful I in starting small cars. | The interchange of petrol coupons ! among motorists was also the subject pf discussion, A The secretary: Have you heard tnai people have been actually printingcoupons? r . ~ . The chairman: Well, a facsimile is not a forgery; there is no signature involved. That is the difficulty about it. The discussion lapsed on this subject, and no resolution was passed.