§ 40. Mr. RADFORDasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the increasing practice of altering the engine numbers of second-hand motor vehicles by certain persons, and by the alteration causing a vehicle to appear to be of more recent construction; and whether, as the law protecting the public against frauds of this character is not sufficiently strong, he will take steps to strengthen it?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI have been asked to reply. I cannot see my way to introduce legislation to deal with this special form of fraudulent representation, which can in fact already be dealt with under the common law. It is only one of the ways in which the age of a motor vehicle may be disguised. I may add that if the vendor of a vehicle, in order to obtain official recognition of the altered engine number, knowingly makes a false declaration for the purpose of registering the vehicle, he commits an offence under Section 13 (2) of the Roads Act, 1920, and is liable on conviction to a penalty not exceeding £50 or to imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for a term not exceeding six months.