IDENTIFICATION OF CARS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 710, 9 July 1929, Page 6

IDENTIFICATION OF CARS

NEW WELLINGTON BY-LAW There is no rest for the motorist, and suggestions are never lacking for new by-laws which may harass the car-owner. This was made abundantly clear at the meeting of the Wellington City Council's By-laws Committee recently, when it was stated that the council proposed to make a by-law providing that every owner should exhibit a card on his steering column announcing his name, occupation and address, in such a manner that it can be read by anyone. It was to protest against this proposed new by-law that a deputation from the Wellington Automobile Club waited on the By-laws Committee. Mr. A. E. Batt, as chief spokesman, said that the proposal would not accomplish what the committee set out to do, namely, to prevent illegal parking, as the discovery of an owner’s name and address would not tell them where he was, nor would it unlock the car. As to his identification the number plate should be an all-sufficient means of identification as it was in all the other countries of the world. Another speaker, on behalf of the club, contended that the provision of such an easy means of identification might easily lead to persons working off personal grudges against car owners, vandalism, or perhaps minor injuries which might pass for practical jokes with the feeble-minded. Then what a simple matter it would be for someone to change the cards,

or remove them altogether. The desire to know the owner at once, to ring him up and request him to remove his car from an illegal parking place Arms not sufficient excuse for such a by-law, and he hoped the council would not persist with it, as the motorists generally were strongly against it. The chairman said that the representations of the deputation would be given due consideration.