LIGHTS ON VEHICLES.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1918, Page 3

LIGHTS ON VEHICLES.

VALIDITY OF BOROUGH BY-LAWS. In the Supreme Court yesterday, before his Honor the Cliief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, an appeal was heard on behalf of tiie .X x Plymouth BoroughCouncil against .ae decision of Mr A. Crooke, B.J.VL, who held that the Borough by-law, requiring vehicles to carry lights between the hoars of sunset ami sunrise, was repugnant to the Lights on Vehicles Act iUia, which allowed half-an-hour's alter sunset and before sunrise in wliich lights were nor required to be carriedT Mr J. 11. Quilliam appeared in support of the appeal, and Mr A. A. Bennett represented respondent—Walter Bint. Mr Quilliam admitted that the Act provided cci-tam restrictions ajppKcaible lo the whole country, and the by-law-imposed greater safeguards in respect to a certain local aj'ea. He theu cited cases at law in support of his contention that- the borough was entitled to make by-laws more stringent than the provisions of Statute law.

In regard to the question of the bylaw being unreasonable his Honor said that civic authorities must surely know the requirements of their own localities, Iho matter of the amount of traffic uu the .streets at certain hours, and also the class of buildings erected, which affected the light in streets, had all to be t&uva j into consideration. Mr. Bennett said it was claimed; that the by-law was invalid ou the grounds that it was repugnant to the Limits on Vehicles Act and also that it was unreasonable, and cited his authorities 111 support. Hi- 'Honor sakl that Mr. 'Bennett "Would have to go tho full length of saying that no borough had any power to extend the requirements in Inspect to li.aliting up vehicles, if his contention was to succeed that the by-law was making a new law not intended by the Act.

After hearing further arguments, his ITonor intimated that in view of the importance of the case, not only to New Plymouth, but to the whole of the Dominion. he thought he should give a written judgment. Decision was theretore reserved.