NEEDED FOR DEFENCE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 194, 17 December 1941, Page 5

NEEDED FOR DEFENCE

IMPRESSMENT OF MOTOR

VEHICLES

ARMY REQUIREMENTS

On the 27th Auguist, 1941, the Motor Vehicles Impressment Emergency Regulations came into force. Under these regulations a Motor Vehicle Controller is appointed with District Controllers and Committees under him, the object being to arrange for supplying of vehicles from those available within New Zealand for the Army, Emergency Reesrve Corp or any branch thereof.

Local Authority organisations 01 Committees acting in co-operation with or forming part of the Emergency Reserve Corp or any branch thereof, and generally to control and allocate the supply of vehicles available in New Zealand in such manner as may apper to the Minister to be necessary or expedient in securing tlie - public safety, the defence of New Zealand and the efficient prosecution of any war in which His Majesty may be engaged nnd for maintaining supplies ant service essential to the life of the community. Mr V. C. Florey, of Kaliaroa, is the District Controller for the Bay of Plenty District, which comprises Rotorua, Taupo, Tauranga, "W'hakalane and Opotiki districts, and tlie committee connected with him art 1 Lt. Col. Dawe (Army), P. A. Kusnbs (E.P.S.), Lev."in Lewis (Farmers), and M. Henderson (Licensed operators). Mr R. A. Potter is secretary to this committee. All motor cycles, motor cars and ether vehicles have to be carded and allocated to various organisations. The supply of vehicles to the Ai m.\ will be the first consideration and -any vehicles that are suitable for Army purposes can be taken by the "Military Authorities either straight out or on a hire basis, any vehicles >po taken by the Army being of "course taken out of the possession of the owners thereof. Vehicles Allocated to such organisations as the E.P.S., etc., will not be taken out of the possession of their own,ers, until such time as a state of has been proclaimed. If the owner of any motor cycle ■or car or light, truck is a member of any organisation, such as the E.P.S. or the Emergency Reserve or branch thereof, the District 'Controller and his committee are, in the first instances, endeavouring to allocate those persons' own vehicles to them for use by them in their particular branch of the organisation, the Army requirements being drawn in the first . instance jfrom. vehicles not so allocated.

The task of the District Controller and Committee is a tremendous one and has been made more so owing to the present position. Any •persons who have vehicles which ;they are prepared to offer to either the Army or such other organisations, if they will send details of their vehicles, such as registered number, i?iake, capacity, age of vehicle and name of address of the registered owner, together with the ■organisation to which it is offered to the District Controller,' P.O. Bex f52, Rotorua, this will greatly assist matters.

AH vehicles irrespective of age, .tnake or description, have got to be listed and are liable either for impressment or use in connection with the above organisations, and for this 'purpose master lists of all vehicles have been forwarded from Wellington to the District Controllers and Committees. The regulations provide for Notices of Impressment or Notices of Intention to Use to be served upon any owners or any vehicles whatsoever, and the Regulations provide penalties for non-compliance the notices so served. The Regulations provide for compensation being paid for any vehicles impressed or used under the same.

The Regulations also provide for nppeals, but an appeal shall only lie on the ground that to give effect to the notice or warrant appealed •against would be contrary to the public interest and would be the cause of undue hardship to the appellant and on no other ground, and must be made in writing to the District Transport Licensing Authority, Auckland, within seven (7) dear days from the date of service of the Notice of Warrant appealed against.