IMPRESSING VEHICLES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23914, 14 March 1941, Page 6

IMPRESSING VEHICLES

The story told this morning of what has happened about the impressment of motor vehicles in Auckland for use by the defence forces would be amusing if it did not carry a serious warning of things to be avoided in such cases. To anybody versed in the ways of departments there is nothing new about it. Apparently complete and largely successful arrangements had been made locally to obtain the vehicles required. The majority of those who had been served with requisition notices had accepted the position. For the Transport Department to have intervened at this stage is characteristic of those central authorities which are perpetually jealous of their authority, and always on the watch to see that nobody shall exercise one iota of it so far as it can be prevented. Then, obviously, the department proceeded to ignore, quite blandly, the local circumstances which simply must be taken into account if confusion and needless disruption of civil life are to be avoided. The last point demands emphasis. The needs of defence must

come first. There should be no misunderstanding about that. But so far as they can, by taking thought, by proceeding on common-sense lines, be met without upsetting those who are required to make sacrifices, they should be. In this instance, what has happened is not beyond remedy, because there is no pressing emergency to be faced, and there is time to disentangle the muddle. But the same thing might have to be faced under circumstances of compelling urgency, when the smooth operation *of the impressment plan was imperative, and when there were also important civil calls on transport. Therefore, whoever has the authority to regulate these things should see there is no room left for another instance of the kind when the Army has to call on civilian owners for necessary equipment.