NO NEW NUMBER PLATES FOR MOTOR-CARS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 222, 20 September 1941, Page 6

NO NEW NUMBER PLATES FOR MOTOR-CARS

MINISTER’S STATEMENT COERCION OF TRANSPORT OPERATORS ALLEGED (P.A. > Parliament Bldgs., Sept. 19. The House of Representatives today considered the Estimates. Discussing the Transport Department’s vote the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, contended that transport operators had been coerced into joining mergers, in some cases by threats that their licences would be cancelled if they did not come in. Mr. W. J. Polson (Opp., Stratford) said the coercive method adopted by some licensing authorities was to be condemned. The Minister of Transport, Hon. R. Semple, in reply said there had never been any suggestion on the part of the Government or himself of forcing anyone to do anything they did not want to do. If some licensing authorities were coercing operators they acted on their “own bat" and without instructions from the department. Continuing, Mr. Semple said New Zealand had the best record in the world for safety on the highways. The question of road accidents was not entirely in the hands of the Transport Department and last year 50 per cent, of road accidents happened in centres where control was not good. Replying to a question by Mr. Holland, Mr Semple said new number plates lor vehicles would not be issued during the war and he believed the sticker system would become established and continue.

Mr. Holland: One good thing out of the war.