MOTOR TRADERS ASK M.P. TO PROVE HIS CASE

Chronicle (Levin), 9 July 1947, Page 7

MOTOR TRADERS ASK M.P. TO PROVE HIS CASE

WELLINGTON, July ■&. A statement issued by the New Zealand Reta.il Motor Trade Association- in referencT to Mr. Cotteriil, M.P., and warrants of fitness, says: ."In his speech in the Address-in-Reply • debate, Mr. Cotteriil, M.P. for Wanganui, is reported as having attacked -what he aL leged to be the looseness, of issuing warrants of litness in sonie, places, in a cheap jibe which was. unworthy of a .Member of Parliament speaking under privilege. He likened the payment of the 2s 6d which is the fixed; charge for the issue of a wartant of fitness, to the acceptance of 30 pxeees of silyer by Judas, and in doing this.he stated that the people were being saerificed on theroads today for thirty pieces of copper, j the price of a warrant of fitness. To illustr'ate this 'Unworthy statement Mr. Cotteriil stated that he knew of oue •case. in Wanganui where a garage had issued a warrant of fitness on the payment of 2s 6d without even inspecting the vehicle. It would appear that Mr. Cotteriil has either said too little or too much. ' ' In the first plaee no garage proprietor in Wanganui eity has authority to issue warrants of fitness as this respon sibility is entirely in the hands of the testing station run by the' Wanganui City Council. Theref ore, it is up to Mr. Cotteriil to clarify this paftieular point. [f the statement made by Mr. Cotterib. is true, that. a garage did issue a wai' rant of fitness without '• inspecting the; vehicle, then it is a moral obligation on ' him to supply the facts to the Ministei! of Transport so that th'e case may be investigated. If he is not prepared to; do this, then he should unreservedly; withdraw the statement he made. ! "Mr. Cotteriil snggested that the'' Government should take steps to insure| that all testing in ,urban areas was: done at a central station nnder ioca! authority or transport department con trol. He should know, that every garage which holds an authority to issue: warrants of fitness, doe's so by virtue oi. authority giy-en by the' Minister oi Transport. The Transpox;t Department,. in cooperation with the New Zealand Retail Motor Trade Association, investigates all cases where there is any evidence of neglect on the, part of a garage to fulfil its respoixsibility in issuing warrants of fitness. Tliere are cases on record where the evidence of negleut has been such that the Minister has seen fit to chncel the authority of a par ticular garage to issue . warrants of fit ness. . . • "During the four months endcd ApriJ this year, the total number of vehicles reported as examined by members of the retail motor trade isr43>709. Of tliis total 24,830 were given vyarrants on in spoction. The balance examined needed soxne adjustment be,fore a warrant could. be issued. O11 this evidence it would be difiicult to maintain a case that care is not exercised by members of the retail motor trade in issUjng warrants of fitness. . "We ask Mr. Cotteriil tp come out with evidence so> thafa the case he quoted'can be investigated and if tliere has, been any nogleetflin":a particulai case then the New ZealUnd Retail Moto Trade Association- will . join ' with thi Transport Department -in inaking tht necessai'y investigation-«'and on the evi dence provided, the Minister of Trans port can then decide tvliethcr or noi •the person named shbuld have his authority to issue ■warrants of fitness revoked. " '• .,1 ..