MOTOR LAW AMENDMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 October 1927, Page 6

MOTOR LAW AMENDMENT.

Two iteiys in the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill, which was read a first time on Monday, will probably be generally welcomed by those engaged in the transport industry. If the Bill is passed, owners of motor vehicles plying for hire in more than one district will no longer be required. Jo.-pay a license-fee to sev-. eral local authorities through whose districts services are being maintained, the license being payable only in the district in which the vehicle is housed. There will he a general opinion that this clause is only fair io the many road services now being maintained by motor transport companies. It will be remembered that the point was raised at Stratford, where the local authority claimed that a Wanganui linn with services extending to North Taranaki, should pay a license fee in the Stratford district. This view was upheld by the. Supreme Court, but its harshness and the necessity for an amendment of the law were immediately ! recognised. The other welcome provision jin the new legislation is that registrajtion fees and license fees will be payable i'by State-owned vehicles. If, as is quite | likely, the . Railway Department decides iio inaugurate road services, as feeders | to the railways; it is essential Jhat it I should meet private competitors on equal I terms so far as registration and license lees are concerned. Power is also given to refund a proportionate part of a license fee if a vehicle is destroyed or permanently removed from the Dominion. Greater latitude is also given in regard to the use of registration plates on demonstration cars in regard to which there lias been considerable conflict of opinion. Altogether the new measure appears a' Weil meant effort to meet Changing eondifions, and there seems no reason- why it should meet with any Opposition.

DONATIONS TO HOSPITALS. The-decision of the Health Department that a Government subsidy will not be paid on amounts given for the purpose of providing Christmas cheer for patients in hospitals was conveyed to the Taranaki Hospital Board at its meeting yesterday. The department holds that public funds can only be used for tile purpose of providing .the necessary medical and nursing attention, and adequate, sufficient and appropriate diet for the patients. All other expenditure, such as upon gramophones, radio sets, and Christmas cheer, should be provided for out of voluntary contributions. It is as well That the position adopted by the Government has been made clear, because appeals for hospital equipment and comforts have sometimes suffered throng': the belief that public funds provide all that is necessary, not merely for the treatment, but for the comfort and recreation of patients. It will be remembered that in Dr. McEachern’s report upon the hospital system in New Zealand, he laid stress upon the necessity of keeping alive the spirit which prompts voluntary contributions for the improvement of our hospitals if public interest in the institutions were to be fully maintained. Now it has been clearly laid down that money obtained from rates and taxes is only to be used 'or the bare necessities of hospitals, the scope for voluntary contributions is obviously a very wide one. However well equipped ami administered such an institution may be, there are many ways in which the comfort and cheer of a hospital can be increased if the necessary funds are available. There is little doubt, if the need for voluntary assistance is thoroughly understood, that the public will be prepared to make generous response to any appeal for the purpose of increasing the comfort and usefulness of these institutions, and for removing as far as possible the dreariness that so often attends ill-health or the process of recovery.