MOTOR LICENSING

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24281, 23 May 1942, Page 8

MOTOR LICENSING

REDUCTION OF FEES LOWER INSURANCE RATES (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Friday The Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, announces reductions to be made in charges for the relicensing of motor vehicles this year. The private cars licence fee is being reduced from 40s to 355. In addition, compulsory third-party insurance premiums will be reduced substantially for most classes of vehicles. The new premiums will be as follow (the reductions being shown in parentheses): Motor-cycles, 20s (nil); dealers' vehicles, 35s (ss); tractors, 7s (3s); private cars, 16s (10s); business cars, 45s (8s); trade motors, 30s (8s); (ire brigade vehicles, 10s (8s); publictaxis, 200s (nil); private hire taxis, 100s (50s); omnibuses, 100s (20s); service cars, 100s (20s); other public motor vehicles, 00s (nil); trailers, 4s (2s); hearses and ambulances, 15s (ss).

In the case of omnibuses there is still the additional 2s for each seat in excess of 10, but the maximum is reduced from £7 12s to £6 12s. In the case of service cars the additional 4s for each seat exceeding seven, with a maximum of £7 16s, is reduced to 2s, with a maximum of £5 IBs. There is 110 change in respect of the additional 2s for each seat exceeding 10 in the case of other public vehicles.

There is also to be an amount of sixpence payable for licence stickers, which are to be issued in lieu of plates this year. Therefore, when relicensing a caij next month, the private owner will pay a total of £2 lis 6d, compared with £3 8s last year.

Mr. Semple stated that for identification purposes existing registration plates would be retained on vehicles. New plates, as well as stickers, would be issued for vehicles not licensed during the 1941-42 licensing year, in which case 2s would be charged for plates.

PRISONERS IN ITALY

MUCH MACARONI AND RICE GOOD THICK BLANKETS (0.C.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Friday lied Cross food parcels containing 18 varieties, including chocolate, condensed milk, butter, jam, cheese and sardines, have been received by New Zealand prisoners of war in Italy, according to letters written from prison camps in January. Writing to his mother, Trooper L. M. Knaptnau said how welcome were the parcels. The prisoners were given plenty of food, but it consisted mainly of macaroni and rice, with an orange nearly every day. One day he was presented with two sticks of sweets. Since lie arrived in Italy on December 30, 1941, Trooper Knapman had been in hospital, where he was being well treated. "The hospital orderlies are very good to us," continued his letter. "They talk to us a lot and we enjoy jokes."

Another New Plymouth man in an Italian prison camp, when he wrote on January 20, said: "We have a canteen in the camp, and with our pay huy a few dates or figs. We are having frosts, hut with good thick blankets we sleep comfortably. So far we haye not had any opportunities to go out on working parties."

CHINESE AND WAR INCIDENT IN TIMARU Various excuses were offered by Timaru residents for not supporting a patriotic appeal made recently, but there were others who viewed the matter in a different light. One collector left" an envelope at the shop of a Chinese citizen and she had some difficulty in conveying to him the object of the call. He said, however, that he would consult his friends. Later the collector returned for the envelope, and it was handed over, containing a few shillings, the Chinese remarking: "Velly sorry, business no good." The collector expressed her thanks and said that every little would help win the war. "What did you say?" remarked the Chiuese. "Win the war? You give me money." The collector returned the envelope and received in exchange a £5 note.

THE GUARANTEED PRICE A MANAWATU PROTEST (0.C.) PALMERSTON NORTH, Friday The feeling that the industry had been badly let down over the increased price for butter and cheese was expressed by the West Coast Dairy Association. Members of the Dairy Industry Council came in for some censure, it being: considered that their efforts could have been prosecuted to greater lengths in securing a higher price. It was stated that the increase was totally inadequate. A resolution was passed that the meeting protest against the action of the Dairy Industry Council over the guaranteed price for butter and cheese; that the amount recommended by the council was totally inadequate considering tlje increased costs on both factory and farm; and that a conference of the industry should have been called before the council reached such an important conclusion without going into the matter of costs more thoroughly. A copy of the resolution is to be sent to all dairy associations. QUEEN'S MOTOR-LAUNCH CREW OF GIRL SAILORS SYDNEY. May 14 The Queen's personal Standard was broken on a naval vessel for the first time the other day, reports the Sydney Sun's London correspondent. It was during the visit of the King and Queen to Plymouth, when Her Majesty travelled on a motor-launch manned by Wrens. The Wrens were wearing bell-bot-tomed trousers, short reefer jackets and canvas shoes. Two other launches, also manned by Wrens, escorted the Queen's boat up the harbour. The Queen congratulated the crew on their expert handling of her launch and heard with pleasure that Wrens, of whom she is Commandant-in-Chief, have been manning motor-launches for harbour duties for some time. CONTROL OF MANPOWER WASHINGTON, May 21 The Manpower Commission to-day directed the selective service organisation to instruct local hoards to consult the Federal Employment Service offices before drafting any individual skilled in a vital war occupation.