WHANGAREI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Northern Advocate, 26 August 1924, Page 2

WHANGAREI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEETING HELD. TO CONSIDER MOTOE BILL. Recently the Auckland City Council decided to call a conference of delegates fi'om the whole of the boroughs in the Auckland Provincial District tj consider the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Bill which it is proposed to bring down this session in theHHou r of Representatives. The Whangarci Borough Council held a special meeting last night in order to consider the Bill and to appoint Lwo delegates to the conference which is to be held at Auckland to-morrow. Those present last evening were:— Mr W. U. Timewell, Deputy Mayor, Crs. A. D. Jack, J. E. Holmes, A. H. Curtis, L. J*. Brake, W. Simpson, W. Lees and A. T. Brainsby.

In order to simplify consideration of the proposals under the Bill the Deputy Mayor submitted the following preevs as affecting Wliangarei:—

As far as the present borough licensing of motors is concerned the only change would be that the Council would lose the revenue from the registration of motors —a right but recently acquired—and the issue of certificates |of competency to drive a motor. The

additional revenue derivable would be from drivers' licenses, which would

more than compensate for the loss above. The proposed driver's license reallv takes the place of the certificate of competency, with the exception that the former requires to be renewed annually. Very desirable features of the Bill fire:- —Annual licensing of drivers which ensures as far as possible that only competent men will be in, charge of motors. Giving the Court power to suspend or cancel a driver's license on conviction for certain offences (previously the power was with the. local authority). The Bill does not interfere with the right of a local authority to —License vehicles plying for hire or to charge tees in respect of vehicles engaged in heavy traffic. It does not attempt to overcome the existing anomalies in regard to the taxation of motor vehicles. It prescribes nominal fees for the various classes of motors. The fees, however, are really in respect of the use of the main highways only, and not of the use of the other roads in the local authorities' districts, and are to lie expended on the maintenance of main highways, and no portion of them i.s to be paid to the local aut.horir*. As far as the licensing of vehicles is concerned the Bill is designed mainly to provide revenue for {he Main Highway Boards and doc; not help the local authority iu :uiy way in the question of licensing; rather it complieaf-'s the. position by further adding to the multiplicity of license* for motors. A person desiring to use a motor lorry (over three tons) in Whangarei would have to take out the following certificates and licenses: —Registration fee (nonrecurring) : license under Motor Vehicles Bill, annually; heavy traffic license, Borough Council, 'annually; heavy traffic license, County .Council, annually; as well as paving tyre tax 011 every tyre used.

The licensing of motors is very mixed and inequitable, both from the point of view of the local authority and of the motor owner. A borough council

has no power t-o license private cars or delivery vans or motor lorries under

three tons. The power to license pri

rate cars or delivery vans or motor lorries under three tons, plying for hire, is only in respect of the right to carry public goods and passengers, and not in respect of the damage done to the roads. The fee charged can therefore be nominal only, and does not in any Avay recompense the local authority for the cost of maintenance of the roads.

The complaint in the borough to-day is that the burden of the maintenance of the roads is thrown only on the vehicles engaged in heavy traffic, and the private cars, taxiw and delivery vans, etc., escape taxation. The Bill does not propose any means for improving that position.

It should be remembered that the Main Highways Act is practically no relief to boroughs. In Whangarei application has been made to have the through roads declared main highways, ! but the attitude of the Board in the matter is not yet known. The Whangarei Borough Council considers that if the Main Highways Board receives all fees from the licensing of motor vehicles in accordance with the Motor Vehicles Bill it should be mandatory lor the said Board to declare as main highways the roads through any borough connecting main highways ending at the borough boundary. That is (-nly fair and equitable. The Whangarei Borough by-laws prescribe that a motor driver's license -hall not. be issued to any person under .10 years of age. The Bill proposes that the minimum age shall be lo years. The Council discussed the matters contained very exhaustively. The Deputy Mayor pointed out that Sir .Tames Gunson had gone into the matter of the Motor Bill verv thoroughly and no doubt he would be able to give delegates some very valuable information. Or Holmes said the weakness of the Bill so far as the boroughs were concerned was that the whole of the fee. 1 -' proposed in the schedule went to the j Highways Board and there was nothing | provided by which boroughs were to ! receive * on si deration for the upkeep of i I

their main thoroughfares and second ary roads. He considered that the fees should be increased and that such in crease should, be handed over to the ■t boroughs for the upkeep of the roads he had indicated. The contention of Cr Holmes was supported by the Deputy Mayor, who said that the Council's delegates to the conference should support a move in this direction.

On the motion of Cr Holmes, seconded by the Deputy Mayor, the Council's delegates to the conference were inrstrueted in the direction indicated. The delegates appointed were the Deputy Mayor. Or Timewell, and the I Town Clerk. Mr C. L. Grange.