RENTAL CARS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 142, 19 June 1939, Page 5

RENTAL CARS

LICENSING OF FIRMS •CONTROL OF A BAD ACCIDENT RISK" ( Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 1.5. The Minister of Transport, Hon. R. I Semple, announced to-day thatlicensing of rental cars under the Transport Licensing Act by firms that] catered for this class of business was I now well under way. •*My attention has been drawn, said the Minister, “to requests, bill rms who consider their business is affected by the hiring out of rental cars, that various conditions should be imposed with a view to restricting the operation of rental cars, in this connection I wish to draw attention to the fact that action has been taken for the licensing of rental car firms principally as a result of a recommendation from the New Zealand Road Safety Council. The council was disturbed by figures which indicated that a rental car is a particularly bad accident risk.” It was hoped that by bringing rental cars under some form of control the accident position would improve and while the Transport Licensing Act was not quite suitable for such purpose it provided the best available machinery until such a time as legislation could be provided. ‘•Naturally,” the Minister added, “the various conditions and limitations applying to service cars and bus services are not always appropriate for the type of service provided by rental car firms.”