Four Hundred Taxis From Britain

Chronicle (Levin), 31 May 1949, Page 3

Four Hundred Taxis From Britain

Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, May 30. Liceuces are to be granted for the importation of 400 taxi cabs from Great Britain. This decision was announced tonight by the Minister of Pinance, Mr. Nash, wlio' said it had been made in response -to representa-. tions from the New Zealand Taxi Proprietors' Association and following an inquiry by the Minister of Transport, Mr. Hackett. Mr. Nash said the cars in the main would replace old vehieles which had been in serviee since before the war. It was felt they would do much to relieve the need of the public for reliable and efficient taxi services. No lieences would be issued for cars the purchase of which would entail expenditure of dollars. The Minister of Transport had arranged for cars to be alloeated on a , priority basis and any taxi proprietor wishing to purchase a new vehicle under this scheme, should make application on a speeial form available from any district or sub-district office of the Transport Department or from the secretary of the New Zealand Taxi Proprietors ' Association. Mr. Nash said that provided the vehicle requested was of British manu- • facture and was suitable for taxi purposes, there would be no restriction witlf regard to make. A formal application must be made before June 30 of the present year and speeial import ■ licencea would be issued to assemblers of the particular cars as soon as the individual requirements of the successful applicants were known. There were no tags exccpt that an . undertaking would be required of taxi proprietors that veliicles made available under this scheme would be used for taxi purposes asd that they would not be disposed ot within 12 months from the date of purchase except with the written approval uf tho Cnmmissinnor of TransnorL