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Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1925, Page 2

Thk legislation under the Highways Act coping with the revenue question is giving the local bodies a good deal of concern. In former times the eon- ( trolling bodies had the power to make their by-law affecting road traffic and leVy accordingly. This is now changed. The by-laws are made for the local bodies, hut the administration is going to he the difficulty. Owing to the vogue of motor traffic, and the overlapping of transit from one district to another, with many smaller districts, such as boroughs in between, there was a difficulty about foes. Now the local bodies are being grouped'largely on the lines of highway districts, and the one fee is to cover that particular territory. But it is not clear how this pooling of the funds is to he divided. As explained at the County Council meeting on Tuesday, if the local bodies could not agree to an allocation scheme amongst themselves, then the matter was to he referred to a Magistrate to deck'd. It would appear that to simplify the position and avoid prolonged and perhaps costly discussions, the regulations should lay down a specific method for distribution. Mileage of roads in use by heavy traffic would ho a fair basis to go upon, but probably other aspects will Ire raised, and the controversy would grow in length, and in the end he inconclusive. Then again, instead of all the local bodies issuing licenses separately, it would appear preferable that the post office which issues already licenses for motors, might deal also with the heavy motor vehicles. And, likewise, with the issue of drivers’ licenses—these are to ho approved by the local bodies’ examiners, many of whom will have varied standards of examination. There is going to he very < on.sideiable overlapping and much irritation for those who have to conform with the regulations. Vehicles must he registered at one office, licensed at another, and drivers passed at some third ap]>oa ranee. The regulations seemed to he framed with the idea of giving motorists as much trouble as possible. All the schemes will involve close inspection , to see the law observed, a,ml there will he much overlapping in this re-gard-one inspector to see that the car is registered,—another to see that it is licensed, and a third to inspect the drivers’ licenses. Surely the motorists arc going to he over-govern-ed.