PRIVATE CAR TRIPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21281, 7 September 1932, Page 10

PRIVATE CAR TRIPS

BAN ON SHARING EXPENSES «• ATROCIOUS LEGISLATION " [BI TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] PALMERSTON NORTH. Tuesday Consideration of an intimation from the Commissioner of Transport that any contribution, however small, by a passenger in a car to the expenses of a trip made the motor-car a contract vehicle within the provisions of the Transport Licensing Act, 1931, produced some very definite statements of opinion at the annual conference of the North Island Motor Union to-day.

" I am strongly opposed to this," stated Mr. A. Grayson, president of the Auckland Automobile Association, who stated that the application of the regulation was all right in some cases, but interfered altogether too much with the liberty o'f moorists, who were practically deprived of the pleasure of a trip with friends as passengers. He moved that a strong letter of protest be forwarded to the Minister of Transport.

" This is one of the most atrocious Acts ever placed on the Statute Book in New Zealand so far as interference with the liberty, of the subject is concerned," said Mr. Moss (South Taranaki). "It makes one wonder how such a bill could get through Parliament. A neighbour is prevented from giving a friend a tin of benzine for running him into town." " There would not be a Court in the country to hold motorists if they were prosecuted every time they broke the law," said Mr. J. R. Franklin (Wanganui). In the opinion of Mr. E. Palliser, the regulation was designed to prevent unlicensed intrusion into commercial transport. " Practically every regulation brought down is making the motorist more or less a criminal," declared Mr. G. W. Hutchison (Auckland). "It is time we told the Transport Department what wo think. Liberty of the subject is being taken away." f xl Mr. F. W. Johnston, president of the South Island Motor Union, said that it was time they took the gloves off. Tins pin-pricking was benefiting nobody, i lie South Island Union had passed a resolution deprecating the regulation. The motion was carried.