SHORT TIME LEFT FOR CAR TESTING

Northern Advocate, 24 March 1937, Page 11

SHORT TIME LEFT FOR CAR TESTING

Only Six Whangarei Garages Qualified The position in regard to the obtaining of certificates of fitness for motor cars in Whangarei is rather obscure. So far, only six garages have been granted licenses to carry out this work., but a list of these has not been puplished in Whangarei, and many people it is stated do not know which garages are entitled to do the work. At the moment there are 11 other garages awaiting information as to whether they can do the work, but, with only seven days left before March 31, • the date upon which all cars are supposed to be tested, nothing definite has been announced. Of these seven days two are holidays; one Sunday and the other Saturday, a day upon which garages are shut. It is stated that there are over 1000 cars in Whangarei which have not yet been tested. This being so an extension of time seems to be the only solution to the problem, but the Hon. R, Semple, in a statement on Page 4 states that March 31 is being adhered to. Many motorists who .patronise their own particular garage are delaying having their cars tested, waiting in’fhe hopes that these garages will be granted licenses.. Garages Seek Association Membership. ■ The Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, has decided that no garage would be approved to issue warrants of fitness unless it was h member of the Garage Proprietors’ Association, and it has been claimed that this is tending to force garages into the association. One Whangarei garage proprietor said this morning that he had applied for membership, and also for a license to test cars, but, desp!Te~the short time remaining, had heard nothing. . ■ An Auckland garage proprietor said last Week that, from experience, after having been a member of the association, he knew that he was more capable of conducting his business without such assistance than with it. He contended that the main object of such an association was generally the controlling of prices, and it was injustice to place a firm in the position where it was felt it was fprced to join. A Whangarei proprietor said that A. grade garages were not inspected as to whether they were capable of test- : ing cars or hot, but others, though they ; had first-class machinery and fully qualified hands, had to be inspected. Firms which are not members of the association are not looked upon as ; qualified simply because they are not : members of the association. Adequate Control Essential. In reply to a letter sent from an Auckland garage, the authorities stated that adequate control of the garages 1 which would issue certificates was 1 essential, and it was found that such control was possible only through some organisation which was capable of ] suring that the work was done in a proper manner, and that the motorist , was protected from exploitation. It was stated that the only organise- ( tion available to undertake the work ■ was the Garage Proprietors’ Associa- . tion, and, for that reason, it was made , a condition that only those garages 3 which were members of the association. would be eligible to issue warrants. There the position stands today, and what will be done in" the future it is Ldifficult to say. 'lt has been rumoured 3 that there will be an alteration in the . system, but, whatever is being done; ] the applications of those garages which 1 are not members of the association, are 1 being apparently left to the last min- r ute, and hundreds of cars are still untested. j The .average motorist does not know 1 much about the position. T