NEW MOTOR PLATES

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1925, Page 1

NEW MOTOR PLATES

AH NISTEIU S EXPLAN ATI ON. [llY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION AUCKLAND, January 29. Hon. J. G. Coates, referring to the .Motor A’ehieles Act administration, said: The present intention, which need not bo considered fatal, because pxperience was the best tutor, is to change the number plates annually. The plate will be of a distinctive design and of a typo exceedingly difficult to manufacture unless machinery is available. Any police officer or traffic inspector can see at a glance whether the annual license for the car has been paid. The alleged inconvenience to the motorist is hardly apparent. Annually, he must go to the Post Office to pay his license fee, and if the present arrangements are eventually decided upon, ho will then obtain a new plate of tbe same design, but of a colour applicable to the particular year, which lie will be able to attach promptly to the car.

Comment lias been made about the amount of money involved in the pro posed change of number plates annually, and so far as is known at present, the plates will be available for issue to motorists at a cost not exceeding Is (i plate.' The letters “N.Z.” were adopted because nothing else was possible for the first year. No one in New Zealand knows how many cars there are in the Dominion, and as the plates had to be obtained in a hurry, an order could not Jjo given for so many fol- any particular district. Long .before the end of this year, a correct record of motors in New Zealand will be available, with full particulars of the number in each district. If it is then desired that the plates shall carry Sm initial identifying the ear with a particular district, such plates could bo provided without any difficulty. There is not extra expense involved in placing the letters “ N.Z. ” on the plate and careful observers of motors throughout tbe Dominion will realise that some Now Zealand distinguishing mark is necessary at the beginning, because a number of cars are observed on the roads with marks foreign to New Zealand. The number plates arc being made by the Government authorities in California. The time was limited, and an inquiry was made regarding the tinfic it would take to prepare suitable plates in New Zealand. There Is not the slightest doubt that plates could not be prepared in Now Zealand at the present time. There is reason to believe that next year’s plates, if they are required, can bo made in New Zealand, but there is six month’s work in manufacture. The order was sent to California because it was known that millions of plates are made in that country, and there is a tremendous plant in regular operation there. The cost hardly entered into the question j but it may in future. A painted plate would be of no value for identification purposes, for those who wish to avoid h tax could easily prepare a painted plate according to any design. A statement has been made that the plate proposed will bo longer than those now in use. The plate is the standard one in use in California, and those persons outside the Government service who have viewed the sample plates have unhesitatingly stated that no objection can be raised to ihc design.”