MOTOR DEMONSTRATION PLATES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19970, 11 December 1926, Page 10

MOTOR DEMONSTRATION PLATES.

A LEGAL POINT. POLICE REQUEST A DECISION. PROVISION FOR PROSPECTIVE BUYERS. Whether motor car dealers had the right to let out cars to prospective purchasers with only demonstration numbers attached to them was a question on which the police asked a decision in the City Poliee Court yesterday morning. Todd Brothers were charged with permitting an unregistered motor car to be used. Mr C. J. Payne appeared for defendants, who pleaded not guilty. Senior Sergeant Quartermain said thai a man named Gaffney stated that he was employed at Strachan’s Brewery, and that on Sunday, October 24, he had got a car from Todd Bros, on trial, but had not then purchased it. P. Urquhart drove the ear, and they went to Lawrence, and got back again at 10 p.m., the car being taken back to Todd Bros. Before he left he drew Todd Bros.’s atten tion to the registration plate. The manager for Todd Bros, had assured him (Senior Sergeant Quartermain) that Gaffney had since bought the car. The question was whether these garages were to be allowed to run these cars all over the country. , The Magistrate: The only question is whether the car was being taken out for sale only. Clearly, it was. In answer to a remark by the Senior Sergeant, his Worship said that if a man carried on business on a Sunday he might be liable, but he was not dealing with that. Mr Payne said that the car was held by Todd Bros, only for the purposes of sale, and it was subsequently sold. The Senior Sergeant: We only want a decision on the matter, your Worship. “Well, the car was taken out for sale,' Mr Bundle said, “and it very obviously has been sold. The Act provides for the use of demonstration plates on cars for The Senior Sergeant said that the only thing left to do was to bring a charge for Sunday trading, but he added disconsolately that if the car were let out on a Saturday he could not even do that. “1 can’t enter into that,” his Worship said. . . “Quite so; we are quite indifferent. We only want a decision.” This charge, and one against Frederick Gaffney arising out of the same case, was dismissed. A similar charge against Todd Bros, was also dismissed.