Argument Over License Fees

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 26, 2 March 1948, Page 5

Argument Over License Fees

Rotorua Borough Refuses Refund To Local County ! In the motor drivers’ Regulations concerning the issue of licenses there is a clause whereby, if one local authority issues a license to a driver under another authority’s jurisdiction, it should do so on behalf of the other body and refund the fee. Just now the Whakatane County Council is involved in argument with the Rotorua Borough Council, which it claims owes refunds for 21 licenses issued to Whakatane County drivers. There are also some heavy traffic fees involved. In letters to the County Council, "the Rotorua body has made it pretty ■clear it has no intention of disgorging without a struggle. This is the way it argues, in a letter dated January 30’: “In view of the fact that Rotorua is the chief tourist resort of New Zealand the Council issues between 300 and 400 “foreign” drivers’ licenses every year. Many of these visitors are not holders of current licenses and come to Rotorua and

! -desire to hire rental cars to see the district, and the Council’s officers must carry out a test so that driving facilities may be made available to them. It is not considered by the Council that this work should fall upon its officers without some recompense from the Local Authorities concerned, and it has been decided by resolution that refund of licenses shall not be made in any ■case to other Local Authorities.” The Whakatane County Council has referred that lot to the Transport Department for its comments. So far as heavy traffic fees are concerned, the County Clerk, Mr C. G. Lucas, has been asked to confer with Rotorua Borough representatives and try to clear the matter up. It appears there was an arrangement made between Whakatane County Council and Rotorua Borough Council some years ago, and the Rotorua Borough Council now desires a termination of that arrangement. . It is not prepared to meet outstanding refunds allegedly due to Whakatane County Council up to the date of termination.