THAT TAXI STAND!

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 48, 16 February 1943, Page 5

THAT TAXI STAND!

THE COMPANY'S CASE

'-BOROUGH COUNCIL'S DILEMMA

DEFERRED BACK TO COM-

MITTEE

The reading of a lengthy letter from the Manager of J. MoComb and Co. taxi proprietors, at. the meeting of the Borough ■Council last week had a meWing •effect upon the City fathers', so much so that the whole question: of the taxi stand, whlich has recently leapt into such prominence has once a,gailn been shouldered on to the unsuspectr ing Works Committee for reconsideration. The letter stated that the corajpany was anxious: to give the : public the best service: possible taking infto account the limited supply 'Of benzine available, by maintaining a central office in the Civic for the use o-f patrons 'both as a call office and its a base for parcels and luggage. This type •of terminal office had been requested by the Commissioner of Transport. Considerable expense had been entailed in the establishment of the ■ office which was now giving a 24 hour service for essential work such .as hospital cases. Answer to Objectors What was. needed was a three car ■sttand outside the office and in the face of several objections, thei company would like to answer them. ' The claim that street signs would not be visible was groundless in view of the verandah signs of this particular objector, white to the claim -of another, that he would require parking space for cars belonging to a doctor and a nurse: should it bp necessary were without foundation and were l unwarranted.

There had been no undue congregation of Maoris in the vicinity of the office as far as the. Avriter was aware and to date at any rate there had been no incidents calling for adverse comment. Previously a Service Standi The. letter pointed out further that the stand" had previously been used as the local officei for the Aard Road Services, and as far as was linown no objections had been raised. The pavement made: it. possible for the parking of. five cars: atl the present time which would cater for file two objectors: 'as well as the *hree stands require d for the taxis 1 . There had been no intention to adopt a dictatorial attitude with the Mayor in a previous conversation. All the, company desired Avas to give the public a better service than had been possible in the past : by Ithc establishment of an office. ' Decision of Committee The Mayor said that the. decision of the Works Committee ay as, that the stand; remain as in the past on the opposite side of the road. Cr Armstrong said he saw a lot of merit, in the It was the first time a taxi depot had been inaugurated and he couldj not understand any real objection to the new stand. 1 Cr Mulhoi land said his sympathies lay with the objectors., Tit was wot a very sa/t.is.factoiy arrangement, to congest the square, which was already overloaded with goods: lorries and other heavy vehicles. Cr Shapley claimed that the letter put a new complexion on the application. He did not realise that taxi companies! had been asked to establish their own offices, nor thatS the company had inaugurated a 24hour service. Tin view of the improved service to the community he would be. in favour of a reconsideration. Aggressive Tactics Objected! Te Cr Sullivan; said that the council had mainly objected/ to the aggressive tactics employed by the company, which had been operating from the new stand in spite of the Borough Council. If a IL the ratepayers were permitted to ignore the council in the same way there were going to be a lot of problems ahead. He thought they should play the game andj use the old stand when they were plainly told that Jthe new •one would not be sanctioned. It was Jiot for the company to appropriate the space and start dictating to the •owners of private, cars whero they •could park and where they couldn\. That was the committee's main ob(Continued in next column) j

jection but in view of the arguments raised he would be quite happy to have the matter referred back to the committee for reconsideration, but that the company be requested to utilise the old; stand until the matter was settled., He moved accordingly. Cr Caisley spoke against the suggestion of .moving the present stand poinding out the fact that the company also possessed buses which would, only add to the present congestion. Cr Sullivan*s motion was; then put to the meeting and carried.,