MOTOR VEHICLES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 November 1941, Page 2

MOTOR VEHICLES

FOR USE OF ARMY METHOD OF IMPRESSMENT. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. The procedure to be followed if it becomes necessary to impress motorvehicles for use by the Army in a national emergency was explained last evening by the Minister of National Service, Mr Semple. He said that the vehicles would be selected on the advice of local committees and after taking into account all suitable vehicles in the Dominion. “A comprehensive survey of all commercial motor-vehicles is now being made by the district controllers and their advisory committees in the 34 districts throughout the country,” said Mr Semple. “Complete registers for each district, covering in all 50,000 vehicles, have been prepared and are in the hands of district controllers so that they may have full information in selecting vehicles for the Army and for other organisations. “The controllers, together with these advisory committees, represent all classes of motor-vehicle owners and have been chosen for their wide knowledge of road transport in their particular districts. In selecting vehicles for- their various duties the controllers and their committees have been asked to take into consideration hardship that may be caused the owner of the vehicle and the neecssity for carrying on the industry of the country. In addition, the owners of vehicles selected have the right of appeal to the district transport licensing authority. “The Government, with the co-opera-tion of public-spirited citizens in the various districts, is doing everything possible to provide vehicles for ■ the defence of the country with the least possible hardship to the citizens of the Dominion,” said the Minister. “I feel sure that when vehicle-owners realise that their vehicles have been selected only after careful investigation of all the vehicles in the district, and further, that vehicles will be called up only in case of a dire emergency, they will accept the position and assist the Government and the country by making their vehicles readily available.”