MOTOR TRANSPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1929, Page 2

MOTOR TRANSPORT

bill in house! ,C • IMPORTANT: PROVISIONS. ' i NATIONAL-CONTROL OF ’ . .... drivers........ WELLINGTON, Sept.’ 24, The Transport Law Amendment Bill Comprises sixty clauses, and there are iiia’ny Important points in addition to, the genlj.al summary already telegraphed. The 'Main Highways Board, as at •jpresent • constituted,' comprises . six members, who, under the new measure, will be relieved of office* at the oiicl of November’, though they will be eligible for reappointment. The new bourU will comprise nine members, (a) .two members - appointed with the approval of the Minister of Transport on the recommendation of the executive body of the New Zealand Counties’ Association to represent counties in the North Island and two members will be similarly appointee to represent counties in the South Island; (b) one member to be appointed on the recommendation of the Minister 'of Transport ns the representative of owners of motor vehicles who are resident in the North island and one member to be similarly appointed as the representative of such owners who are resident in the South island; (c) three! other members, of whom one shall fie appointed as chairman of the board. The Bill does not specify the class from which the three other members of Clause 0 will be drawn, but the existing-' board included three public sorvnuts, one of whom must be an offiora- of the Public Works Department, and one of these three was required to act as chairman. All hold •office for three years. ! TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEES. ! - ' Tho Commissioner of Transport is named in the Bill as head of the Transport Department, and there is, authority to appoint one or more ad-' yisory :'committees, holding office at, the' pleasure of the. Crown, and for a term not .exceeding three years. These members are to be paid allowances as approved by t;ie Minister, also travelling expenses, and if they are mem-' bei's of -the - Legislature their seats will not become vacant by reason of payment of travelling allowance cjnly. .MOTOR OMNIBUS CONTROL. Local authorities from January 1 cease to be licensing authorities for motor omnibuses, their place - being taken by the licensing body/ already explained, covering the highway district, as this will bring under review services not hitherto subject to a control. The Commissioner of'Transport is authorised ,to issue a license to persons who satisfy him that they were on September 1, 1929, conducting a motor omnibus service. The Commissioner. is also entitled to issue a license to an applicant who satisfies him (a) that he was engaged carrying on a regular motor omnibus service on and before Juno 1, 1929, and that the carrying on of such service has since that date been interrupted or, prevented by earthquake or other natural disaster, or (b) that he had for not less than two seasons before tho passing of this Act been engaged in carrying on a seasonal motor omnibus service commencing in any year on a date later than ‘September 1. SPECIAL LICENSING AUTHORITY . Another body is to be established todeal with motor omnibus services carried on or proposed to be carried on within two or more motor omnibus districts, consisting of (a) the Commissioner of transport, chairman; (b) one member appointed on tire recommendation of the Minister of Transport. on. the ground that he is possessed of special knowledge in relation to motor transport services; (c) one member appointed with the approval of the Minister and on the recommendation of the executive of the New Zealand Counties Association to represent counties in the North Island, and one member to be similarly Mppointed to represent counties in the South Island, (d) two members to be appointed with the approval of the Minister and on the recommendation of the New Zealand Municipal Association to represent borough councils and town beards in the North Island and two members similarly appointed to | represent borough councils and town boards in the South Island. -Of the 'two members appointed under this paragraph for the North Island or the South Island, as ,the case may be, one shall be appointed to represent borough councils and town boards (if any) .engaged in carrying on public transport services, and the other shall be appointed to represent other borough councils and town boards. All applications in respect of' motor omnibus services are to be made in the first instance to the Commissioner of Transport. PREFERENCE TO PUBLIC AUTHORITIES. Clause 38 states that where application for the grant of licenses in respect of a motor omnibus service is made by any local or public authority or by the Minister of Railways, and also bv any other person, preference shall be given by the licensing authority to the application of the local or public authority or of the Miniser over the application of any other person, (a) if there is no existing transport service over the pro-

posed route or routes, (b) if the proposed service is an extension of an existing transport service carried on by the local or public authority or bj the Minister, (c) if the local or public authority or the Minister satisfies the licensing authority tliat it is prepared to carry on a sorvee sufficient to meet the reasonable requirements of the public. The. licensee of a motor omnibus service is to be entitled to compensation if the renewal of a license is refused on the ground ol competition with a local authority or the Minister of Railways, the amount of compensation, in the event of disagreement, being fixed by a compensation Court under the Public Works Act. MOTOR SPIRITS TAXATION. Provision is made for the imposition of an excise duty on motor spirits produced in Now Zealand. More elastc provisions also are made with respect to refunds of duty oh motor spirits that are destroyed or are used otherwise, than in motor vehicles. Local authorities a.re barred fron fixing the remuneration of traffic inspectors by reference to the aihoum of fines, and any such existing agreement is to become void on January i next. MOTOR LORRIES. It is proposed to repeal the presen’ express prohibition of the use of cei tain specified classes of motor lorries, contained in section 164 of the Public Works Act ,1928, and limitations a. to the use of six-wheeled motor lorries. The uso of these vehicles car be effectively dealt with under section 160 of that Act, wiiich provide both for classification of motor vehicles and for classification of road.and streets. In the classification ol vehicles the weight-carrying capacity of the several axles of a, vehicle win be taken into account rather tliai the maximum carrying capacity of tin vehicle itself. The clause provide that from the total amount of heavy traffic license fees retched in an;, year there shall be deducted such amount as may be prescribed in respect of administrative expenses and the residue sha|l be paid to local authorities in accordance with regulations to be made. LICENSE- FEES FOR MOTORS. The sections dealing with license fees for motor vehicles include 'provision for a refund within three months of registration if the. vehicle is to be removed from New Zealand. The Motor Vehicles Act is not to infringe the statutory or other powers of local authorities to make charges in respect of vehilces plying for hire. Long distance niotor services arc covered by a clause which states: “Where a motor vehicle is regularly plied for hire between • two terminal points situate within districts of 'different local authorities such motor vehicle shall bo subject to suoh charges as may lawfully be made in respect of motor vehicles -plying for hire by each of the two local authorities within whose respective districts the terminal points are situate, but shall not be subject to such charges made by any other local authprty in whose district. it may ply for hire if it does not ply therein for hire except in the course of carrying out its regular service' between the terminal points aforesaid. w A diversion, from route to deliver passengers and goods will not bring a vehicle within the scope of local charges. LICENSING OF DRIVERS. Motor drivers’ licenses continue at 6s and the proceeds, less cost of collection, will be paid to the local authority. Licenses are to be issued to qualified persons, and those in existence will be renewed. As for future licenses the Bill provides that examination of applicants for motor drivers’ licenses as to their fitness to receive such licenses shall be conducted by persons authorised by the Commissioner of Transport or by persons authorised by the local authority, acting with the concurrence of the Commissioner of Transport. A motor driver’s license shall not be issued to any person under the age of fifteen years. Local authorities are empowered to continue issuing licenses till June 1, 1930. Applicants for drivers’ licenses may be required to make a declaration's to freedom from .physical disability. Motorists from whom drivers’ licenses are demanded are to be given twenty-four hours for production at a place nominated by the officer concerned. RECKLESS DRIVING PROSECUTIONS. A clause imjp’oses obligation in prosecutions for reckless driving to -warn the offender of an intended prosecution at tho time the alleged offence was committed, or within seven days after the commission of the a.lleged offence, A notice of < the intended prosecution is to be sent by registered post to him or to the person who was registered as owner of tlie motor vehicle at the time of the commission of the alleged offence, but failure to comply with this ’requirement shall not be a bar to the conviction of the accused in any case where the Court is satisfied that neither his name and address nor the name and address of the registered owner of the motor vehicle could with reasonable diligence have been ascertained within seven days.. This section shall have no application in the case of an off&nce which has resulted in death or serious bodily injury. A driver who, „ having caused an accident to another persons, fails to stop shall be liable to imprisonment for j twelve months, or for any other of-1 fence undqr this section to a fine of £2O. Provision is made for review of the disqualification of drivers, but not until twelve months after the order was originally issued.

Motorists approaching railway crossings are to reduce speed to fifteen miles an hour. Where a compulsory stop sign is ignored the fine is to bo £lO.

\ The Bill gives power to make regulations for governing pedestrian and other traffic. Another clause empowers , the Minister of Transport to disallow any loeajl by-law relating to motor traffic on the ground that its subject matter should be dealt with by provisions of general application.