LOAN OF CARS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 March 1930, Page 4

LOAN OF CARS

AN INTERESTING POINT,

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

MASTERTON, March 14.

An interesting point in motor law was raised in the Magistrate’s Court to-day as to the extent to which a garage proprietor is entitled in the course of business to lend cars bearing his dealer’s number plates to customers. The case was one in which D. G. Johnston, of Carterton, garage proprietor, was charged with permitting one of his cars bearing the garage number plates to be used by customers, and B. M. Hurley, of Carterton, was charged with using the car.

Counsel for defendants said the defence was on a point of law, as the facts were admitted. Hurley had taken bis car to Johnston’s garage for repairs, and had accepted the loan of a garage} car in order to visit a district in which he had an urgent business. The practice of lending out garage cars in such circumstances, counsel held, was common in Wairarapa and elsewhere in New Zealand. He,, contended that the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1927, allowed a dealer to use the number plates issued to him in the course of his business of a garage. The Magistrate, Mr J. Miller, reserved his decision.