FITNESS OF CARS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 85, 12 April 1937, Page 11

FITNESS OF CARS

TOO LITTLE INTEREST

PERIOD OF GRACE ABOUT UP

Under the new motor regulations owners of motor vehicles are required to submit their machines .for examination twice a year, ', to obtain warrants of fitness—certificates that the machines are in/a fit condition to be operated. The regulations fixed March 31 as the-date by,which the first halfyearly examination should be made, but it -was- apparent that there would have to be a good deal, of .give- and take on the first application '• of the rule. However, the end of March is now days past and gone,- and, though fair and full warning has been given, motorists are not in any hurry to. have their cars examined and to get their warrants ■ of- fitness. . ■ .

The City Traffic. Office, which is charged with the'enforcement of the regulation in the' Wellington area, has had a staff of five examining inspectors at the Corporation yard, Clyde Quay, for weeks now, .and though there have been bursts of interest,. the inspectors have latterly had considerably ..less business before them .than should be the case. ; From today onwards motorists • who cannot produce their warrants maybe asked' why their failure should; be excused. ;

The busiest day at the Corporation yard was about a fortnight ago, when 90 cars were inspected, but the average has not beenmorethan about 60 a day, with, as stated above, a tendency to a lower figure during the past.week or 50..; A number,of garages are; .also authorised.to examine cars and to issue warrarits,-and in-the total a fair number of cars have been put through.

. The necessity, for these examinations is ' shown by the „ high percentage -of cars for, which warrants. have been refused, pending garage attention, by the' city inspectors—no less than 41' per cent. Defective lights were the chief reason for the refusal of warrants, for about 67 ; . per. cent: of all failures on the first examination were due to lighting defects.' Brakes were well up the list, too, and, as stated"on Friday,..war-, rants have been declined for cars carrying mascots of a- definitely dangerous '.. In' addition to "the 'examination of private cars, the City inspectors have, examined well over a thousand hire vehicle's, taxis, trucks, etc.;- which do, not come under . the new regulation, for the. regular examination ''of such, vehicles has been- required' for some years past. The test applied in the case of hire vehicles is stiff, and 48 per cent.- of the machines were stood [aside .pending attention, in the directions indicated. " .;•.-. So far the City Council has not finalised the purchase of special equipment for the rapid testing of cars, though it is tinderstod1 tVyit/the Auckland and Christchurch C/-/ Councils have ordered their plants; It is- estimated that, when the examination system settles down aVturriover- of .about- 250 cars.a day will be necessary to keep the half-yearly issue '■■ of warrants up to date, and. if the city inspectors1 are to handle the bulk, of the work facilities over and above those at present available.will -be-necessary. ..