MOTOR VEHICLES ACT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18943, 14 February 1925, Page 10 (Supplement)

MOTOR VEHICLES ACT.

VITAL ALTERATIONS MOOTED, During the month of January more flaws were discovered in the Motor Vehicles Act than it was thought possible to contain, states a Southern paper. The fulfilment of the promise of the Minister for Internal Affairs, the Hon. R. F. Hoilard, to have the Act amended during the next session of Parliament, will be awaited by a great number of motorists. The term "if used" in connection with registration has been seized upon by a, great number in order to postpone the registration of their Vehicles. It is difficult to see how the department can take proceedings under the Act against anyone who has failed to register their car, provided that the motorist can prove that the car has not been used since January 31.

Ilits department has also yet to define when a ear becomes scrap. Many motorists are in a quandary as to what to do in regard to the registration of cars that are partially dismantled. Again the provision "if used" comes into the question, and as long as the ear is not put into running order again and put on the. roads the owner seems to bo safe from proceedings. The registration authorities have been having a busy time during the past week, and it is extremely possible that the effect of their reports to the registrar will cause some vital alterations to the Act upon the first opportunity.

AUCKLAND PATENT SUFFERS. A patented process for manufacturing number plates for motor-cars, invented by Mr. S. J. Lake, of Grey Lynn, lias been rendered useless by the decision of the Government to import from California the new plates required under tho Motor Vehicles Act. Mr. Lake had spent a considerable sum of money on plant to exploit his process and his product was sellnig well in the garages until the new regulations killed his market. Recently lie put the case before the Hon. J. G. Coates, who undertook to give it sympathetic consideration. Mr. Lake has now been granted a patent for a frame designed to suit the official plate, and tho Minister for Internal Affairs has informed him that the Department will offer no objection to motorists using the frame. GOVERNMENT AND MOTOR UNIONS. A letter of protest has been forwarded by the South Island Motor Union to the North Island Motor Union, objecting to the action of the secretary of that union in expressing a private opinion on legislative matters without reference to the executive.

This action was taken upon receipt of a letter from the Minister for Internal Affairs, the Hon. If. F. Bollard, who stated that the objections raised by the union to certain provisions, of the Motor Vehicles Act had been considered. He could not adopt the union's suggestions to hold over the clauses objected to, but tho matters v.ould be reconsidered bsfore the end of the licensing year, March 31, 1926. He stated that, in adopting the regulation requiring number plates to be changed annually, the department had acted upon the advice of the North Island Union.

It was decided to write to the department stating that because the North Island Union was more accessible it seemed to be given greater opportunity to express its views, and that, those views should not be accepted without reference to the South Island Union.

It. was also decided to send a complaint to the North Island Union. MAIN ROADS. Brown's Bay-Deep Creek.—-The road between Brown's Bay and Deep Creek lias been given a metal foundation and surfaced with shell. The distance is about two miles and gives an excellent surface. Horahora Road.—With the big volume of tourist traffic it has had to bear of late, the road past the Horahora electrical works is becoming rough and the Hamilton branch of the A.A.A. is asking the Matamata County Council to give it further attention. Pokeno-Waitakaruru.—-The bad section of road west of Waitakaruru is being graded by the Hauraki Plains County Council and the result will certainly be an improvement in this section. It is understood that very liberal proposals have been made by the Main Highways Board to the local bodies interested in the upkeep of this road with a view to hastening the linking up of the unmetalled sections. Putaruru-Arapuni.—-The surface on the Putaruru-Arapuni Road is now showing signs of considerable wear under the very heavy traffic which it is called upon to carry. The Arapuni contractors are keeping it repaired \vith local shingle and have landed a steam roller for the road work. However, it is evident that the broken metal from the Mako Creek quarry, which the contractors have yet to put on over the whole road to a depth of several inches and roll in, cannot be put on too soon. The work of developing the quarry and installing the •necessary ropeway to it is being pushed ahead and the metal may be available by next winter. Robertson Road, Mangere.—This road, the surface oi which is extremely loose has been closed to through traffic for some months in an endeavour to hold it together. The Manukau County Council is now putting its plant in order'for an early start on improvement, works. It is intended to scarify and roll a portion of the road to see whether the foundation is sound to permit the laying down of a bitumen surface. If the experiment is unsuccessful the whole length of the road will be scarified and metalled. Work has been held up so far owing to difficulties in securing supplies of metal chips and in the meantime the council has been obliged to purchase its own plant for this purpose.