TRAFFIC CONTROL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 August 1939, Page 6

TRAFFIC CONTROL

PENALTIES FOR DRUNKEN DRIVERS NEW PROPOSALS BEFORE PARLIAMENT. LICENCES TO BE ISSUED BY POST OFFICE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) I WELLINGTON, This Day. Afore drastie measures in dealing' with intoxicated motorists are a feature of the Transport Law Amendment Lil. which was introduced by Governor-General’s message and read a first time in the House of Representatives yesterday. Provision is also made for greater unification of traffic control, and lor bringing all taxis and town carriers under the transport licensing system from -June 1 next. The Bill provides that for the first offence of intoxicated driving a motorist will have his licence cancelled for at least one year, and for any subse ■ quent offence at least three years. In the latter case the permission of the Court' will be necessary before a motorist may again obtain a licence, but in both cases the Court is given discretionary power in dealing with special cases. The Court will not be permitted to suppress the names of persons convicted of driving while intoxicated. It is to be an offence to take any intoxicant while in a public passenger vehicle, or to offer an intoxicant to the driver or another passenger. Power is to be given to approved traffic inspectors to arrest intoxicated drivers. ; REVENUE AND CONTROL. As from June 1. 1940, all motordrivers’ licences are to be issued through the Post Office, and the fee of 5s for each licence will be apportioned as follows: 6d commission to the Post Office, 2s 3d to the Consolidated Fund for traffic control purposes, and 2s 3d to councils or boroughs of 6000 or over for traffic control purposes. An explanatory memorandum issued with the Bill stated that under this scheme the smaller boroughs and' rural areas would be entirely relieved of the responsibility for and cost of the en-' forcement of the traffic laws. It was also anticipated that a general improvement would be effected in the standard for issue of licences. In every State in Australia drivers’ licences were issued by the Government. Regulation power is given for the Commissioner of Transport to reviewthe licences of accident-prone drivers subject to the right of appeal to a magistrate. Authority is contained for the Minister of Transport to group local bodies about the main centres for the purposes of traffic control and also for any borough council to arrange for the Transport Department to enforce the traffic laws in its area. LICENSING OF BICYCLES. The Bill authorises the issue of regulations providing for the registration of bicycles at fees of Is for registration and 6d 'for any transfer of ownership. It is not proposed that licensing should be carried out annually. Amendments to the traffic provisions of the Public Works Act, 1928, are made for the purpose of bringing up to date the powers of local authorities in regard to special levies on extraordinary traffic and the closing of roads. TAXIS AND CARRIERS. All taxis and town carriers are to be brought under the transport licensing system. The same procedure is to be adopted with all trucks over two tons laden weight operating in competition with the railways for 30 miles or more. This provision will not. however, apply to trucks owned and operated by farmers, market gardeners, public bodies and the Crown. Matters which are to be taken into account by licensing authorities in dealing with applications for licences are prescribed in the Bill. These include the desirability, of maintaining a reasonable standard of living and satisfactory working conditions in the transport industry. This, the memorandum states, is to enable licensing authorities to deal with owner drivers who are not bound by any labour awards.

“There are no hidden secrets in the Bill.” said the Minister of Transport Mr Semple, in answer to a question by Mr Coates (Opposition, Kaipara) when the Bill was introduced. “It is designed to give better control of transport and to provide greater safety for the travelling public.” Mr Polson (Opposition, Stratford): “Are any more dictatorial powers taken?’* Mr Semple: “There are no dictatorial powers in the Bill. You have my modest assurance of that.” “The counties will certainly get nothing out of the licence fees,” said Mr Semple, in reply to an Opposition question, “because they do nothing to maintain safety on the highway.”