MOTOR VEHICLES BILL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2771, 14 August 1924, Page 3

MOTOR VEHICLES BILL.

♦ ROME PROVISIONS AND PENALTIES. Some of the provisions and penalties provided in the Motor Vehicles Bill now before Parliament provide registration with the P. and T. Department instead of local bodies. Save in exceptional cases, it is an offence to use an unregistered motor vehicle. The proposed penally is a fine of £2O for every day on which an unregistered vehicle is used.

A period of one month is allowed in which to affect the registration of vehicles in use at the commencement of the Act, but during this period every such vehicle must carry its registration number under the Motor Registration Act, 1908. Tn addition to the requirement of registration ,the Bill requires that every motor vehicle shall be licensed annually. The main purpose of the annual license is to provide funds for maintenance expenditure on main highways. It is an offence punishable by a fine of £2O per day to use an unlicensed motor vehicle. A period of one month is allowed after the commencement of the Act in which to effect the licensing of vehicles already in use. The licensing of motor drivers is left at present to local authorities, but is made compulsory. No person under the age of fifteen years is competent to receive a driver’s license. The matter of qualification is left to the discretion of the particular lof-al authority concerned. “Provision is made for the cancellation of drivers’ licenses, or for their endorsement or suspension by a Court of Justice in cases where the holders have shown that they are not. fit persons to have charge of a motor vehicle. Drivers’ licenses remain operative only until the 31st March next succeeding the date of issue.

All fees for drivers’ licenses are payable to the general funds of the licensing local authorities. Other fees payable under the Act (e.g. registration fees, annual license fees, etc.) and all fines recovered in respect of offences are made payable to the revenue fund of the Main Highways account, where they are available towards the maintenance (but not for the construction) of main highways. It is an offence, punishable on summary conviction for any person to be in charge of a motor vehicle while in a slate of intoxication, and any such person may be arrested without warrant. It is also an offence punishable summarily, to drive a motor vehicle so negligently or recklessly as to endanger the safety of the public or of any person. If f> n y person while in a state of intoxication, or by reason of reckless or negligent, driving causes bodily injury to, or the death of any person, lie is guilty of a crime, and is liable on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or to a fine not exceeding £SOO.

In the event of an accident arising from the use of a motor vehicle, it is declared to be the duty of the driver to render all reasonable and practical assistance, and to report the accident to the police. Every driver of a motor vehicle (whether he has committed an offence or not) is required to stop, and, on request by a police constable, to give information sufficient to identify him and the owner of the motor vehicle. It is also declared to be an offence to use a motor vehicle with any number or identification mark obscured. The Governor-General-in-Coun-cil is empowered to make regulations as to numerous matters incidental to the control of motor traffic and the registration and license ing of motor vehicles.