MOTOR REGISTRATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3830, 9 August 1927, Page 71

MOTOR REGISTRATION.

POWERS OF LOCAL BODIES. i EFFORT TO REMOVE ANOMALIES. < WANGANUI. August 4. Motor service proprietors throughout the country are considerably perturbed over the powers vested in local bodies in regard to the licensing of service cars in every town, borough, or county through which they pass and pick up passengers en route. A meeting of local proprietors discussed the position yesterday Mr Smith reported that the White Star executive had recognised some time ago that this anomaly existed, and at the last directors’ meeting held in Wellington on May H the whole question was gone into, and the following day a deputation consisting of about 20 members of the association from all narts of New Zealand waited on the Prime Minister. Mr F. W. Furkert, (chief engineer, Public Works Department) was also present. The deputation received a very sympathetic bearing. Its proposals were very ably put forward by Mr H. O. Knight, secretary of the White Star Tourist Services, Ltd. Mr Coates, in reply, agreed in the main that the proposals put forward were sound, and that the necessity had arisen for the Government to take action on lines such as those advocated by the deputation. He said that for a young country like New- Zealand the task of reorganising legislation and taxation as affecting the motor industry bristled with difficulties. Nevertheless it would be undertaken, and so far as possible a sound and equitable basis would be devised. Mr Coates added that, other sections of the motor industry had approached the Government with similar requests, and he agreed that the time was ripe for tho removal of the anomalies which admittedly existed. He thanked the deputation for its frank statement of the case.

It is understood that a full conference of motor service proprietors is to be held in Wellington immediately to urge further upon the Government the immediate necessity of “removing the anomalies by regulation. In the meantime many local bodies and town boards welcome the motor services passing through their towns and

boroughs, and are not desirous of imposing local licenses, being satisfied with their portion of the heavy traffic fees as oeing a just and equitable contribution from the motor service proprietors.