MOTOR VEHICLES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 310, 24 September 1921, Page 8

MOTOR VEHICLES

NEW SYSTEM OF CONTROL LICENSES FOR CARS AND DRIVERS PENALTIES FOR CARELESSNESS The Motor Vehicles Bill, which was introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday, provides a new system of registration, licensing, and control of motor vehicles of all descriptions. It makes provision for the issue of annual licenses by the Government, for the licensing of drivers, and for the inspection of cars. Some general provisions deal with control of traffic on roads and the enforcement of penalties for reckless or negligent driving.

All motor vehicles except those owned and used by public authorities are to be registered and annually licensed. Every person who knowingly uses or permits to be used a vehicle that is not so registered and licensed will Ox?como liable to a fine of <£2o for every day on which the offence continues. Tho scale of annual license fees proposed in the Bill is as follows: — £ Motor-coach or motor-omnibus 10 Trade motor 7 Private motor-car 5 Motor-cycle 1 Traction engine 10 Other motor vehicle <3 A registrar of nfotor vehicles is to be appointed, with deputy registrars in the provincial districts. Registration of Cars. Application for registration shall be made by the owner of the motorvehicle to tho deputy registrar of the provincial district within which the garage of such motor vehicle is situate. In the case of a motor vehicle which is being driven or used in New Zealand at the commencement of tho Act, application for registration shall be made before April 30, 1922. In every other case application for registration shall be made before the motor vehicle is driven or used, the deputy registrar will assign a number of distinguishing marks to be affixed to the motor vehicle, and issue a certificate of registration. Every owner of a registered car is required to procure annually from the deputy registrar for his district a license to use the car on roads and streets. The penalty for using the car without being licensed will be a fine up to £2O a day. No local authority shall be entitled to charge any fee in respect of a motor vehicle. This provision docs not apply to special ’•charges made in respect of Heavy traffic, to toll charges, or to charges imposed on cars plying for hire. The-Bill makes provision for transfer of registration and for transfer of license on change of ownership. A license refers to the particular motor vehicle in respect of which it is issued. Provision is made for the issue of special permits to manufacturers and dealers. Licensing of Drivers. The second part of the Bill deals with the licensing of motor drivers. A driver’s m-eiisd is distinct from the license 'issued in respect of a car. No person shall drive a motor-car, trade-motor, mo-tor-coach, or motor-omnibus on a road or street unlefe ho is licensed, and no person shall employ any person who is not licensed to drive a motor-car, trademotor, motor-coach, or motor-omnibus. A person’over tho age of seventeen years shall not be deemed to act in contravention of this provision if he is learning to drive, and is accompanied in the driver’s seat by a person holding a mo-tor-driver's license. A local authority shall, subject to any regulations that may be made prescribing examinations or conditions to be passed or complied with by an applicant for a motor-driver’s license, grant a mo-tor-driver’s license to any person applying who resides in the district of such lochl authority on payment of a fee of ss. unless the applicant is disqualified. A motor-driver’s license shall, except as mar be otherwise provided in any regulation, bo operative throughout New Zealand, and shall remain in force until March 31 next after the date on which it is granted, but shall bo renewable. Any person under the' age of seventeen years shall not bo qualified to obtain a license. ... „ If a person is convicted of an offence in connection with tho driving of a motor vehicle, other than a first or second offence, consisting solely of exceeding tho speed limit, tho Court may suspend his license and impose a period of disqualification. Tho Court may also endorse n license. The clauses dealing with inspection provide for tho appointment of inspectors who may be appointed as officers of the Public Service or as officers of local authorities. Owners must produce their cars for inspection when required. The duties of inspectors will be prescribed bv regulations .... , All fees paid for the registration of motor vehicles and for the annual licenses of motor vehicles are to bo paid to the Government. Fees for the issue of licenses to drivers will ba paid to the local authorities. . Power is provided for the issue of bylaws preventing or restricting tho use of motor vehicles upon any bridge, read or place where the Government or the local authority making the by-law is satisfied that such use would be attended hy risk of damage to tho bridge or danger to the public. ! Provisions Against Reckless Driving. Every person will commit an offence and be liable to a fine of £1(10, who drives a motor-vehicle on a public highway recklessly or negligently, or at a speed or in a manner which is dangerous to the public, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, including the nature, condition, and use of the highway, and the amount of the traffic which actually is at the time, or which might reasonably be expected to be, on U Any constable may arrest without warrant the. driver of any motor vehicle who commits an offence against this section within tho view of the constable, and refuses to give his name and address on demand, if the motor vehicle does not bear the registered number and the distinguishing mark or marks of identifier tho driver of any motor vehicle who commits an offence against this section refuses to give his name or address or "fives a- false name or address, ho will commit n further offence; and it shall be tho duty of the owner of the motor vehicle, if required, to give any information in his power which may lead to tho identification and apprehension of the driver, and if tho owner fails so to do he also will commit an offence. , , . j It shall be no defence in any proceedings for an offence against this section that tho person charged with the offence was driving the motor vehicle at a speed less than the maximum speed, it any, fixed for the road or street or district where the alleged offence was committed. Whore, owing to the presence of a motor vehicle on any public, highway, an accident occurs to any person, or to any horse or vehicle in charge of any person, the driver of the motor vehicle shall stop, and. if required, give hts name and address, and also the name and address of tho owner and the regis-

tered number and the distinguishing mark or marks of the motor vehicle. Tho general penalty for an offence against the provisions ot th ® pl '° P Act is a fine not exceeding .£lO. I revision is made for the issue of regulations eorerimr nil the matters raised in the Bill 'rhe. regulations may. hx maximum speeds tar read* or dislncta. nnd prescribe conditions for the examination of applicants for dnveis licenses.