Motor Relicensing in War Time

Southland Times, Issue 24422, 30 April 1941, Page 4

Motor Relicensing in War Time

THE relicensing of motor-vehicles for 1941-42 will begin tomorrow, and the owner’ of every private car will be called upon to pay £3/13/6 for a new number plate, a fresh licence, and his third-party insurance premium for the next 13 months. No one has yet explained why it should be necessary to discard over half a million licence plates and fit half a million more at a time when the country’s full resources, especially in the metal trades, are supposed to be mobilized for war. Is the Dominion so fully stocked with metals and munitions that it can afford this shocking waste of material, skill and time? Nor has there been any explanation why, i for the second year in succession, the full licence fee and insurance premium are to be charged for a heavily restricted mileage. > The South Island Motor Union recently raised this point and asked the Government, “in view of what happened after the relicensing of motor-cars last year,” to make known its intentions about petrol allowances for the next three to six months. The reply given by the Minister of Supply, that he could not fix the allowances for such a long period ahead, was fair enough in the circumstances; but it did not alter the fact that even on the present mileage basis the licensing and insurance charges are excessive. From May the petrol allowance is again to be two coupons, which will allow private motorists to travel about 150 miles a month. This allowance may later be reduced, but there is no prospect that it will be increased, except by perhaps half a coupon a month during the next holidays. The mileage run by the average private car is therefore almost certain-not to exceed 2000 for the next 13 months, and it may be considerably below that .figure. On this basis the relicensing and insurance fee works

out at about a halfpenny a mile. The fee is actually higher than was charged when there .were no petrol restrictions and the average private motorist’s mileage was between two and three times 2000. Motorists as a class already make a large contribution to the Treasury. They pay heavy taxes on petrol, tyres and cars. Are they to be denied a readjustment of licence and insurance charges that is due to them in equity, solely as a result of war conditions?