NEW MOTOR PLATES

Evening Star, Issue 19797, 22 February 1928, Page 6

NEW MOTOR PLATES

NOT TO BE USED YET

iSraetAL re rue ‘Star.’]

WELLINGTON, February 21.

Auckland motorists, who, in common with nil others, hove been invited by the post office to get their new motor number plates early, niitl pay the lee, litivc been criticising tin; uutlioiitios for their refusal to allow the new plates to lie displayed before April 1, when the now registration year commences. It was argued that once a man paid Jus license ice it mattered little if the new number plate was displayed before the end ol the year or alterwards. It transpires, however, that very solid departmental objections eaiy be produced against such a practice. Your correspondent, who looked into the matter in view of the Auckland criticism, found from a responsible official of the post office that it would moan, if permitted, two number systems hciii(r in use simultaneously. It is difficult enough with one system to trace all motorists whoso name and addresses are needed, hut with a double plate system the task would bo much harder. The crowning argument of officialdom, however, is that it would bo illegal. The motorist is permitted to save himself and the .department much trouble and delav hv paying up well in advance, and getting his new number plates too eai'-iy for use. But he must store them till April 1, and he will bo prosecuted if bo docs not then display them on his car.