§ 28. Colonel HOWARD-BURYasked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the reasons for issuing square motor-car licences for round holders, necessitating the cutting of the licence to fit the holder; whether he is aware that there is a circle at the back of the licence which does not coincide with the circle on the front, and that if the licence is cut by following the back circle an 798 essential part of the licence is cut away; and whether in future licences will be issued in a more convenient form?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThe form of motor-car licence is adapted for fitting either into a rectangular holder, or, when cut down, into a circular holder, as the licensee may find convenient. For accounting reasons it is necessary to issue licences to licensing authorities in book form with counterfoils, and for this a rectangular shape is essential. In the case of all licences which I have examined, the exterior circle on the front coincides with the circle on the back, and no essential part of the licence, so far as I am aware, is cut away if the latter line is followed. But the latter circle can be omitted, and I will consider the desirability of doing so in future prints.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYIs it not the essence of bureaucracy to try to fit square pegs into round holes?