Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-04
Bill
Would Require
Auto Inspection
Lofstrund Measure
Coils for Checkups
Twice q Year
BY a s.aff Correspondent Of Tn. Sta,


to reinstate compulsory automo-
bile inspection in Maryland was
presented to the General AS
sembly yesterday by Senator
Anders r. Lofstrand. Republican,
of Montgomery County.
The bill. referred to the Senate
Judiciary Committee, is substan-
TALLY the same as the one in
PRODUCED by Mr.. Lofstrand and
rejected by the 1851 Legislature.
His bill calls for two annual
inspection periods-between May
and July 81 and between Mo-
vember / and January 81. In
spections would be made at pri-
vate garages for a 81 fee.
Correction of defects would be
mandatory. Inspection fees
would go for promotion Of high
way safety" Inspectors would
receive no money and would pay
no money for their station priv
ilege.
In Force Before War.
Maryland had a sporadic sys-
tenn of auto inspection by private
garages for about three years
before World War II. Bills in
PRODUCED in postwar sessions of
Of the Legislature to establish a
network of State-owned and OPP
Grated inspection stations have
been turned down.
Another auto safety measure
was introduced in the House
yesterday by Delegates Jerome
Robinson and j. Raymond Buff
f1ngton, jr., Baltimore City
Democrats. It would require
front and rear directional turn
lights on all Maryland auto
mobiles built after June /, 1854.
Pending legislation to abolish
the Maryland National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
also received Senator Lofstrand's
attention yesterday. He con-
ferred with two commission
officials, who came here at his
request, and with Senator John
Raymond Fletcher, Republican,
of Prince Georges.
Some Public Hearings.
In answering questions by the
two Senators, Jesse Nicholson,
secretary-treasurer to the COM
mission, made these points:
l. Although the planning COM
mission does not hold public
hearings on it's budget, 1t does
hold them on such matters as
the master highway plan and
new subdivision regulations.
2. The Montgomery County
Council and the Prince Georges
County Board of Commissioners
must have considerable conf
dence in the planning commits
sion, since they have followed
about 80 per cent of its recon-
mendations on coming since 1949.
8. The commission has not yet
prepared a complete master zon-
ing plan for the regional district.
as it was directed to do when it
was formed in 1927; but it has
adopted a general park plan and
is in the process of adopting a
master roads plan.
Still Has Open Mind.
After the conference, Senator
Fletcher said he will insist that
planning commission officials be
invited to a joint delegation
meeting next week, at which the
bill to abolish the agency is to
be discussed. The Prince Georges
Senator emphasized that he still
is of an open mind on the bill.
Senator Lofstrand has stated
fatty that. unless he can be
shown that abolishing the plan
ming commission and transfer
ring its functions to the two
counties will save the taxpayers
money. he will not support the
move. .-.---..-...-
The IL delegates from Prince
Georges and Montgomery were
not invited to yesterdays con-
ference. j. B. Zatman, public
relations director for the COM
mission, accompanied Mr.. Nichol-
son.