A SOLDIERS' CAR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 100, 22 January 1919, Page 5

A SOLDIERS' CAR

CIL.IPLAINTS CLEARED, UP. A statement regarding recent complaints that the motor-car sent. to Hanmer some considerable time ago by the Canterbury, Automobile Association for the use of returned soldiers there bad been used to carry staff officers between Hanmer and Culverden,- and that returned men had to pay their fares by other conveyances, was made on Saturday by Mr. A. S. Glarkson, chairman of the Transport and Soldiers 1 .Car Committee of the Automobile Association (says the Christchurch "Sun"). In the first place, Mr. Clarkson said that some people confused the soldiers' car in Christchurch with the one at Hanmer. The, Christchurch car was owned and run solely by the Automobile Association, members of the association being levied, for its upkeep. The association therefore made it its business to see that the car was notused for other purposes than those intended. An exact record was kept of how many trips the car did'each month, how many soldiers it carried, and how many miles it covered. • Tne car at Hanmer, however, waß loaned to the Defence Department by the association, and the Defence Department providco a chauffeur and paid • for the upkeep of the car. The association, therefore, was not able to exercise the s»;no octroi over the Hanmer car as the Christchurch car. When the car was first given for the use of soldiers at Hanmer the Public Health Department was in control there, and the Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister of Public Health) assured the association that the car would be used for. returned soldiers only. The car was to be used to take the men to and from Culverden and to give the men rides around the countryside. Later, however, the Defence Department took over control at Hanmer. Referring to the complaints of misuse of the car, Mr. Clarkson said' that lie had had an interview with officers of the Defence Department on the matter. They admitted that the car had been used for other, purposes than carrying returned men, but" that was during the iufluenza epidemic. Tlie Department's own car broke down at the'time, and it was.absolutely necessary to make use of the soldiers' car. However, the Department had now received a new car, and Mr. Clarkson was' assured that the association's car would be used by nobody except returned soldiers. Mr. Clarkson is satisfied that everything will work, satisfactorily in the future.