TRANSPORT LAW

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 291, 7 November 1929, Page 8

TRANSPORT LAW

AMENDING BILL. PROPOSED CHANGES. (By Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 6 The Transport Law Amendment Bin was circulated this evening. There is to be a Minister of Transport at the head of the Transport Department. Part 2 contains important amendments as follow: (1) All exemptions from the payment of annual license fees are abol(2) Provision is made for altering the system of licensing motor drivers. In future such licenses will be issued by the registrar of motor vehicles, or by a deputy-registrar, instead of by the local authorities, thus simplifying the procedure as to their annual renewal. The license fees will, however, continue to be paid to the local authorities. . , , (3) Provision is made for the compilation by the Justice Department for the use of the Transport Department of monthly lists of porsons whose drivers’ licenses have been endorsed or suspended by any court. OMNIBUS TRAFFIC.

Part 3 deals with motor omnibus traffic. Under this part a Dominion Transport Appeal Board is to be constituted to hear appeals from the decisions of licensing authorities. Additional provisions are made with respect to accidents occurring in connection with motor omnibus services to permit of the holding of formal investigations into the causes ■ and results thereof. In part 7 of the bill provision is.! made for the imposition of an excise duty on motor spirit produced in New Zealand, and more elastic provisions are made with respect to refunds _of duty on motor spirits that are destroyed or are used otherwise than in motor vehicles. Part 8 of the bill provides for an amendment of the Public Works Act. It is proposed to repeal the present express prohibition of the use of certain specified classes of motor lorries contained in section 164 of the Public Works Act, 1928, and the limitations as to the use of six-wheeled motor lorries contained in section 165. The use of these vehicles can be effectively dealt with under section 166. CLASSIFICATION OF VEHICLES. > In the classification of vehicles the weight-carrying capacity of the several axles of a venicle will be taken into account rather than the maximum carrying capacity of the vehicle itself. Clause 61 prohibits the practice that has been adopted by certain local authorities of fixing the remuneration of their traffic inspectors by reference to the amount of the fines recovered in respect of offences. It is complained that with officers appointed pn such terms there is a tendency to lay informations .for mere technical breaches of the law that would in other circumstances be ignored. DISCUSSION IN HOUSE. MINISTER DISAPPOINTED. As there seemed no chance that the House of Representatives would pass the Transport Bill in the form in which it emerged from the committee to which it had been referred, the Minister, Hon. W. A. Veitch, explained the position to the Hbilse to-day. He said that it was a good hill containing provision for comprehensive organisation and co-ordinating of the transport throughout the Dominion. He, however, recognised that there would be some opposition to some of the provisions of the bill, due almost entirely' to a misunderstanding of the intentions of the Government and of the actual meaning of the provisions of the bill. As there was opposition to the bill, he could not expect to get it through and he must yield, although the bul was strongly desired by A very large section of the people. He proposed that the clauses in the bill validating the setting up of the Transport Ministry should be passed, but that the rest of the bill should be dropped, unless it was desired to continue the existence of the Transport Advisory Coined. If merely the clauses relating to tile netting up of the Transport Department were passed, then the existence of the Transport Advisory Council would not be justified. The Advisory Council must go unless the House was prepared to go a little further and pass the clauses referring to the extended powers of licensing. He understood, however, that the House was not prepared to do that. He was sorry because the council had. rendered very valuable service and the members had been enthusiastic and helpful. LICENSING AUTHORITIES. Had the House been prepared to consider the clause relating to licensing, he would have submitted a modification providing that the existing licensing authorities in the big centres should remain practically as they were now and create new lioensing districts throughout the Dominion. He was very disappointed that he could not get power because it meant a serious hindrance to the work which he had undertaken in the organisation of transport. However, he was sure that the power would be granted ultimately. He wok disappointed, but he accepted the situation in a sporting spirit and without chagrin. The Leader of the Opposition (Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) regretted that the time left to discuss the measure was so short as the question was a very important one. He had always looked suspiciously on the constitution of the Advisory. Council owing to the lack of representation of the ratepayers and those who contributed the taxation. Mr Coates said that practically every country in the world had set up a commission to deal with the problem and New Zealand might well follow silit. If the Government accepted this suggestion, , it would be able to present considered legislation to the House. Already statistics bad been collated, and the task of the commission would not be a lengthy one. Mr H. 11. Holland said he thought the Minister was wise to drop the clauses lie had dropped. Mr R. Semple (Labour): Drop the lot. Mr Holland expressed gratification at the socialistic views expressed by. the Leader of the Opposition (laughter) and went on to suggest that any further discussion should be postponed until the.second reading stage. Mr Kyle advised the Minister to scrap the whole bill. The bill had been reported from a committee with amendments, the main one being that «a motorist must be notified within 48 hours of the commission of an offence instead of 24 hours as proposed. ■ • -