Army's Responsibility In Motor Collisions

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1942, Page 2

Army's Responsibility In Motor Collisions

Press Assn.

Wellington, Last Night.

Further representations are to be made by the North Island Motor Uhion to the Attorney-General with the object of ensuring that claims brought by people following accidents involving army vehicles will be settled justly. The annual conference of the union appointed a deputation to interview the Minister. Mr. T. M. N. Rodgers (Manawatu) warned the union to make sure it was not being lulled into a sense of false security. He had been told on the best authority that the regulations to be introduced would have the effect only of permitting the army to admit liability when advised to 'do so, and that its adviser would be the State Fire Office. The uqion had asked that a person injured in a collision with an army vehicle should have. the right to apply to an ordinary court of, British Justice, but the proposed regulations would not give that right. The union should ask to see a draft of the regulations, because he was afraid they would be drawn in a, half-hearted, slipshod manner. They might cover only cases in which the army was so obviously responslble that the case would never have got into court. In. any case, a citizen should not be deprived of the right to bring his case to court.