MOTORISTS' LICENSES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 149, 24 May 1928, Page 6

MOTORISTS' LICENSES.

AIUST BE RENEWED ANNUALLY

Per Press Association

INVERCARGILL, May 23. Mr G. Cruiekshank, S.M., in a reserved decision io-day upheld the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act where they applied tor the renewal of -licenses and entered a conviction against an offending motorist. Tho defence raised was that a license lasted indefinitely and did not require require renwal. Tho Magistrate said that up till December, 1927, tho law was definite that all licenses expired on March 31 each year. To make a change over to May 31 the words about ending in March were repealed. The whole scheme of the Act and the Regulations in many places showed that an annual renewal was required. It rested with defendant to show that by amending tlie Act the period of license which he held had been extended until now. In support of this defendant said the words “shall remain iii force till March next” were repealed. To say that a license which was lawfully issued for the year ending on March 31 was now indefinitely ' extended because words saying that all licenses shall end mi March were now struck out of the Act was to the Magistrate's mind an unsound proposition. To so extend such a license required very definite words in the statute.