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WCC, Motor vehicle registration cards
Descriptive Data
Archives Identifier00293Date Range1906-1924DescriptionA set of cards containing the information given by the applicant for the registration of a motor vehicle (as required in the Second Schedule of the relevant Acts (1905, 1908). This series fulfils the requirement of the Motor Regulation Act 1908 and its predecessors that all authorities registering motor vehicles 'shall keep a register of all motor vehicles registered by it at all times open for inspection'.
The first legislation relating to motor vehicles was passed in 1898, and amended in 1902, but only covered vehicles for hire and commercial vehicles. The 1905 Motor Registration Act provided for registration of all vehicles, for hire and 'for pleasure', both cars and motor-cycles. Only authorities with populations over 5,000 could implement motor vehicle registration and adoption of the registration function by local authorities was voluntary. They were required to make an official resolution to that effect and advertise in the Government Gazette and local newspapers.
Registration was based on former provincial boundaries, 'W' allocated as the lettering code for Wellington area. (WN after October 1912) Initially registering local authorities in the Wellington Province agreed in 1906-1907 to allocate 'W' registration numbers among themselves - Lower Hutt 1-500, Masterton 501-1000, Wellington 1001-1500 (and later 1500-1999), Rangitikei County Council 2000-2500.
It seems that for the earliest motor car registrations from 1898, the forms used for licensing and registering other vehicles (hackney carriages, etc) were also used for motor cars. Under the 1905, 1906 and 1908 Acts application forms were filled out, and a 'Registration Book' kept. Research suggests that at least the 'W' sequence of cards could have been created retrospectively either in October 1912 or later about 1919 at the time of reorganisation of the Motor Inspector's Office. So far there is no trace found of these earlier 'Registration books', except that the early correspondence files (Series 00233), contain examples of application forms for registration on individual files.
The cards contain annotations (in red ink at first) from about 1913 onwards. As per the 2nd Schedule of the Act each card contains:
· Full name of owner (often only initials)
· Residence and postal address of owner
· Type of car or cycle i.e. the make or trade name
· Whether intended for - private use, for trade purposes, or as a public conveyance
· Particulars as to the position on the car in which it is proposed to place the identification mark
· Identification-mark assigned to motor
The cards also record the vehicle's horse power ('H.P'), whether a vehicle was a car or cycle, changes of ownership (with dates), and details regarding payment of transfer fees, cancellations of registration, etc. There is a 'Remarks' section, mostly blank. As these cards were created retrospectively from earlier application forms and registers, they do not contain the signature of the owner or person applying. Changes made in the 1912-19 period are made using red ink to cross out and add annotations; other later changes are more random and inconsistent in style and handwriting. After 5 September 1922, the cards are typewritten.
In the past the Inspector of Nuisances issued and regulated licenses for carriage owners and cab drivers plying for hire. With the introduction of motorised cars these duties expanded to include the function of registering motor vehicles. The first Acts (1898, 1902, 1905, 1906) gave the power to local authorities to register, make regulations and by-laws re motor vehicles and to charge license fees. The WCC By-laws up to 1905 required registration and licensing only in the case of 'vehicles for hire'. The Council continued to license separately drivers of vehicles for hire and only after March 1912 were such drivers required to register their vehicles under the general Act - previously they had be given a 'taxi cab' license number only. So the early cards in the series do not record 'licensed vehicles'. The 1908 By-laws stipulated the Town Clerk 'shall keep separate registers of licensed vehicles and of licensed drivers and conductors'. This referred to vehicles licensed for hire and trade, not those 'registered' under Vehicle Regulation Act. The 1908 Act gave the Department of Internal Affairs nation-wide powers to issue and assign 'distinguishing letters and marks' i.e. registration numbers. The Wellington numbers were fast running out in 1912, when the Department assigned the WN prefix to Wellington. It was first used for a registration on 16th Oct 1912.Quantity (Linear Metres)2MediumFileSystem of ArrangementTwo numerical sequences, the first W1001-W1900 covered 1906-1912. The second sequence is numbered WN1-WN9789 and covers 1912-1925Collection TypeWellington City Council
The first legislation relating to motor vehicles was passed in 1898, and amended in 1902, but only covered vehicles for hire and commercial vehicles. The 1905 Motor Registration Act provided for registration of all vehicles, for hire and 'for pleasure', both cars and motor-cycles. Only authorities with populations over 5,000 could implement motor vehicle registration and adoption of the registration function by local authorities was voluntary. They were required to make an official resolution to that effect and advertise in the Government Gazette and local newspapers.
Registration was based on former provincial boundaries, 'W' allocated as the lettering code for Wellington area. (WN after October 1912) Initially registering local authorities in the Wellington Province agreed in 1906-1907 to allocate 'W' registration numbers among themselves - Lower Hutt 1-500, Masterton 501-1000, Wellington 1001-1500 (and later 1500-1999), Rangitikei County Council 2000-2500.
It seems that for the earliest motor car registrations from 1898, the forms used for licensing and registering other vehicles (hackney carriages, etc) were also used for motor cars. Under the 1905, 1906 and 1908 Acts application forms were filled out, and a 'Registration Book' kept. Research suggests that at least the 'W' sequence of cards could have been created retrospectively either in October 1912 or later about 1919 at the time of reorganisation of the Motor Inspector's Office. So far there is no trace found of these earlier 'Registration books', except that the early correspondence files (Series 00233), contain examples of application forms for registration on individual files.
The cards contain annotations (in red ink at first) from about 1913 onwards. As per the 2nd Schedule of the Act each card contains:
· Full name of owner (often only initials)
· Residence and postal address of owner
· Type of car or cycle i.e. the make or trade name
· Whether intended for - private use, for trade purposes, or as a public conveyance
· Particulars as to the position on the car in which it is proposed to place the identification mark
· Identification-mark assigned to motor
The cards also record the vehicle's horse power ('H.P'), whether a vehicle was a car or cycle, changes of ownership (with dates), and details regarding payment of transfer fees, cancellations of registration, etc. There is a 'Remarks' section, mostly blank. As these cards were created retrospectively from earlier application forms and registers, they do not contain the signature of the owner or person applying. Changes made in the 1912-19 period are made using red ink to cross out and add annotations; other later changes are more random and inconsistent in style and handwriting. After 5 September 1922, the cards are typewritten.
In the past the Inspector of Nuisances issued and regulated licenses for carriage owners and cab drivers plying for hire. With the introduction of motorised cars these duties expanded to include the function of registering motor vehicles. The first Acts (1898, 1902, 1905, 1906) gave the power to local authorities to register, make regulations and by-laws re motor vehicles and to charge license fees. The WCC By-laws up to 1905 required registration and licensing only in the case of 'vehicles for hire'. The Council continued to license separately drivers of vehicles for hire and only after March 1912 were such drivers required to register their vehicles under the general Act - previously they had be given a 'taxi cab' license number only. So the early cards in the series do not record 'licensed vehicles'. The 1908 By-laws stipulated the Town Clerk 'shall keep separate registers of licensed vehicles and of licensed drivers and conductors'. This referred to vehicles licensed for hire and trade, not those 'registered' under Vehicle Regulation Act. The 1908 Act gave the Department of Internal Affairs nation-wide powers to issue and assign 'distinguishing letters and marks' i.e. registration numbers. The Wellington numbers were fast running out in 1912, when the Department assigned the WN prefix to Wellington. It was first used for a registration on 16th Oct 1912.Quantity (Linear Metres)2MediumFileSystem of ArrangementTwo numerical sequences, the first W1001-W1900 covered 1906-1912. The second sequence is numbered WN1-WN9789 and covers 1912-1925Collection TypeWellington City Council
Access Information
Restriction StatusOpen
Related Agencies
Controlling or Creating AgencyTown Clerk's DepartmentRelationship Date Range1870-1991
Related Series
WCC, Motor vehicle registration cards. Archives Online, accessed 19/08/2026, https://archivesonline.wcc.govt.nz/nodes/view/1787