DEFINED AT LAST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 65, 16 April 1943, Page 5

DEFINED AT LAST

NEW TAXI-STAND SITE

CIVIC BUILDINGS CONTROVERSY

"Resolved to recommend that the existing taxi stand on Mr J. D. Rivett's frontage be cancelled and that a stand for three taxis be established at the office frontage of J. McCoomb and Co. Ltd., at the Civic Buildings.'* Now who would have thought that such an innocent recommendation from the Works Committed would have given rise to so much emphatic expression of opinion at the Whakatane Borough Council meeting last- Monday? And who, further would have thought that after n keen debate, the Council Avould have fallen into two distinct camps ] and adopted the suggestion by the narrow margin of one vote only. Cr Mulliolland said he. would, voice a further protest against, the change which he. described as unnecessary in view of the fact, that the company's cars were working from the old stand with 110 inconvenience to themselves. Ratepayers Rights Cr Crcekc was more rorceful. He wondered, whether the Council by adopting such a recommendation was having any. regard for the rights and priveleges of Its ratepayers, particularly one who had been resident in the town for 40 years. He failed to understand why the Council in endeavouring to settle the matter had not brought tne two men together in an effort to effect a mutual agreement. The application was for three cars but the company as at present constituted was only in its infancy and the time wou'.d come when it Avoukl want five and six cars there, thus dominating the whole corner. A Public Service Cr Shapley said that the Works Committee had studied the whole question and in coming to its conclusion had considered, only the taxi traffic and its service to the general public.- It took the view that, there was room for the three

taxis there as well as parking space for the cars oC the four businessmen already operating from the same position. There was a further taxi stand, bj 7- the Regent Theatre which would offset Cr Creckc's claim that the present stand would he likely to grow. The Mayor argued that in the sapic light that Messrs Sloane and Abbott claimed the right to park their cars outside their own premises. so the Taxi Company was entitled to a similar privilege. All Bunk ! Cr Cummings described the allegations that the taxi office and s-tand brought with it undesirable incidents and bad language 011 the part of people seeking cars, as all 'bunk.' From his own experience he could, say that the stands in Whakatane had not been conducive to such behaviour any more than any other place. If Maoris were not desired inside, lower landing to the Civic Buildings it was only neces-. sary to put a gate there. Cr Mul hoi land said he could give definite evidence of such occurranccs in-spite of what Cr Cummings had said. Cr Cre.ekc challenged Cr Cummings to back up his statement that the allegations were all "bunk.' The Council had evidence that such was the position and. therefore he had no right to say that it did not exist. The motion adopting the Wo rip Committees recommendation was then put to the meeting and carried by voles to -I.