MOTOR LICENSES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18905, 21 January 1927, Page 5

MOTOR LICENSES.

.NEW NUMBER PLATES. ORANGE AND BLACK COLOURING. The re-liceusing of the 150,000 motor vehicles' in the Dominion will be commenced within a few weeks, and every car, motor-cycle, and commercial motor las to be fitted with the new number plates before April Ist. Before relicensing is completed, the total vehicles will exceed 160,000, if present monthly increases are maintained. In order to provide for the registration and licensing of new cars during the year, about 180,000 pairs of number plates have been manufactured. Orange and black, a colour combination which will clash with the paint scheme of 99 per cent, of cars, lias been selected for the 1927 plates. Since the Government has such eye-offending schemes as 6carlet and purple in reserve motorists might yet be thankful for even a lurid orange. The plates have been manufactured in Wellington, anG the charge will again be 2s 8d a pair. A new departure this year will be the use of index letters on the plates to indicate the type of vehicle to which they have been allotted. This will prevent unscrupulous commercial vehicle owners from paying a motorcar license of £2 and attaching the plates to a motor-lorry which should pay an annual license of £5. There wiil be eight classifications, and the numbers will start from 1 in each "roup. The letters will be in orange on the black background, and will precede the numerals. Motor-cars and trucks not exceeding one ton-capacity, which are subject to a license fee of £2. will carry plates with numerals alone. Pnenmatic-tyred lorries over one ton, which are liable for £3, will have the index A on the plates. Motor-buses and solid-tyred lorries, upon which £o is payable, wi be indicated by B. The letter C will indicate two-wheel trailers paying ±,l. and D will be used for motor dealers demonstration cars, paying 10s. Vehicles owned by the Government or by local bodies will'have plates with the index E. Motor-cycles in genera use carry the familiar small type of plate with no letter, and a fee of.lo* is charged. Dealers' motor-cycles will carry plates with D.