ALL A HOAX ?

* * ALL A HOAX?

Sir,

At the time of the introduction of the to-year tests, there was a certain amount of publicity given to the fact that Mr. Marples might have been hoaxing* but there seemed to be no concrete proof of the fact.

Today, I had occasion to renew the licence of My 1930 LeaFrancis and duly went to the Taxation Office with my valid .M.O.T. certificate which I proffered to the Clerk in charge, who, to my astonishment, said he was not interested!

I said that I thought certificates had to be produced after March 31st before a Road Fund Licence would be issued. He replied that he, too, had read something to that effect in the National Press, but that in reality the County Council had received no official communication on the subject from the Ministry of Transport! Consequently they had no authority to refuse anyone a licence without an M.O.T. certificate for a car over seven years of age.

It seems extraordinary that the Minister of Transport should be able to give such widespread publicity to a scheme of his that in fact he has failed to follow up and operate on the date publicised. Maybe he is generously giving people a month’s grace, but it is undoubtedly odd that the Licensing Authorities have officially heard nothing.

I hope you Will draw readers’ attention to this. One begins to wonder how often we are hoaxed in other spheres of life if this sort of thing goes on. If I had posted my application fivni I would have been none the wiser about the situation.

Aston Sandford. Ii. C. S. MACPHERSON.