Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1916-01-25

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!
legations about stolen cars. lie
would have rogues' gallery in
Trenton for the inspectors to IA
miliarize themselves with the crimi
nal drivers but believes their appre-
! hension should fall to tho local police
departments.
Calls Jersey Haunt Of Auto Thief.
"Tt is hard to believe" says one
paragraph in the report, that New
Jersey despite the advantages which
| it derives from it's natural position,
! is the natural homo of a receiver of
! stolen cars, and the natural haunt O.
| the car thief" The department also
regrets that many magistrates have
| dwelt too leniently with reckless
! drivers, particularly those charged
with operating cars while under the
! influence Of Intoxicating liquor The
! penalty of a Jail sentence for drunken
| automobile drivers should be rigidly
enforced.
In the judgment OF the department,
! the binding headlight is fast dis
! appearing, and from observations
recently made in seventeen. counties,
S6 per cent of all the cars tabulated
| revealed some effort to comply with
the speedy enactment of legislation to
make it serious offense to allow
| horse drawn vehicles to he used at
night unless properly equipped with
| lights. Such Il statute is in existence
now, but there is no provision for
| the collection Of a fine, and it is
| stated that tho Legislature should
remedy this defect.
| Nine automobiles owned hy the
! State ngpn hf ing "A
| four of these officials supply their
| own cars, the maintenance being met
| by the State.
Mr.. Dill says he would like to dis
| courage the practice of the employ
/ mcnt of counsel by those involved in
hearings before him, as he conducts
| Informal Investigations to protect the
| interests of all parties. Inspectors, In
| Issuing summons, are urged to
direct it before "a magistrate i'm the
| district where the violation occurs
| instead of to the commissioner.
! excepting in unusual cases.
Reciprocal Privileges.
Close relations, it is asserted, have
existed between this State and New
York, Pennsylvania and Delaware. In
Delaware, a law was enacted. remov-
ing the reciprocity on trucks. but this
| has raised such a protest that it is
expected to be reopened The fifteen
! day touring privilege which New Jer-
| sey allows has frequently been abused,
and inspectors are now stationed To
tabulate foreign cars at the ferries
and different bridges. In several in
stances motorists from other States
nave injured people in New Jersey.
and have arrogantly refused to re-
Spond to a summons before the COM
| missioner. Many poor people. it is
SAID, who cannot afford the expense
OF litigation away from home, are
denied the right of recovery, and the
| commissioner says he feels very
strongly on the rights of our citizens
regarding the necessity of going to a
foreign State to secure service in n
suit for damages
Some of the special inspectors have
failed to make a single report during
the year, and it is said that it now
becomes necessary for the department
to demand their designations. Some
of the special inspectors have been
very influential in assisting the de-
partment, and the work done by those
appointed upon recommendation of
various State departments has been
| noticeably good
All supplies used by the department
have been purchased after competi-
tive bidding, and a saving of $4,000
| has been made in the furnishing of
number plates for 1916.
Would Jail Drivers.
! Mr.. Dill would have the law amend
! ed to provide for a Jail sentence for
anyone who drives a car while under
! the influence of a drug. He refers to
the double taxation placed upon auto
mobolists. He says there is no rea-
son why the owner of such a vehicle.
after having paid the fee which the
| State eXactS, should be required to
meet an additional assessment in the
! taxing district where the motor
vehicle may be found May 20 He
would have the Legislature enact a
statute making the registration fees
/ serve in lieu of all other taxes.
The commissioner suggests that a
uniform license fee be established for
drivers, instead of the classes that
now exist, which have permitted of
thousands of violations.
Because of the damage done to
highways, the use of commercial
trucks in the transportation of pic
nickers during the summer months
would be prohibited, when they have
been licensed for any other purpose
Outing parties, it is stated, often
damage the roads by the throwing of
glass or other Objectionable matter on
the roadway. Drivers who do not
carry their registration cards with
them would be subjected to a fine
under another provision of the rec
concentrations. Motorcycles would be
required TO exhibit their number
plates both in front and rear, and
those with side baskets would be re-
uuired to have an additional light.
The muffer cutout would be abso-
lutely prohibited by Commissioner
Dill. The law of other States requir-