New Law Under Fire

Twin Wheels on Fiji Lorries

From Our Own Correspondent N w „ r A SUVA, Jan. 10. -EW motor traffic regulations were gazetted in Fiji recently. They were made by the Governor-in-Council, and are a further example of “government by ordinance”, which has been objected to strongly by the public.

The Motor Traffic Ordinance of 1939 was submitted to the local agency of the Automobile Association, Auckland, for comment and advice, and the Association made a number of suggestions, which were welcomed by the Traffic Depart ment.

Unfortunately, this Ordinance, follow ing a custom which is becoming all too

common in the Colony, contains the fol lowing clause: “The Governor-in-Council may make regulations generally for the purpose of carrying this Ordinance into effect.”

When the regulations were gazetted they contained the following clause: “No motor vehicle or trailer shall have any wheel fitted with twin tyres, or with more than one tyre, or have twin wheels, or more than two wheels in line trans versely in contact with the ground.”

As about 75 per cent, of the lorries in use in Fiji are equipped with twin wheels (particularly lorries belonging to the Government and the Town Board!) the matter was taken up immediately by the Suva Chamber of Commerce. The clause appeared to conflict with another one which provided for vehicles of a certain weight having from four to eight driven wheels in contact with the ground.

Following the protest, the Police De partment claimed that in other Crown Colonies twin wheels had been found to damage the roads, but stated that no objection would be raised by that Depart ment to the deletion of the clause if the Public Works Department did not object.

The Chamber of Commerce then asked for the regulation to be deleted, and it is hoped that this will be done. In the meantime, the Traffic Department is dis regarding this section.

Too many Fiji laws are based on laws in other Crown Colonies, without any regard to the similarity of conditions. It is obviously absurd to draft regulations for Fiji which are modelled on laws applying in West Africa or the Falkland Islands.