TAXI LICENCES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 193, 13 May 1944, Page 6

TAXI LICENCES

Question Of Increase In

Wellington OPPOSING OPINIONS

The Wellington Metropolitan Licensing Authority, which recently decided to issue 10 additional taxicab licences, met yesterday to hear objections to the granting of licences to 10 applicants—all returned servicemen—selected from a large number.

Among those represented were the New Zealand Taxi Federation (Mr. A. E. Hurley) and several unsuccessful .applicants.

After hearing evidence the authority adjourned till Friday, May 26, when appeals by unsuccessful applicants will be heard. The following resolution by the Wellington Taxi Cab Control Committee has been submitted to the authority, but was not discussed at the meeting yesterday: —“The committee is of the opinion that the need for extra licences does not now exist in view of the recent alleviation of the position in the demand for taxi service in Wellington.” The following statement in reply to the committee’s resolution has been submitted to the authority by Cr. R. L. Macalister. who is chairman of the committee : —

“As the council’s nominee and sole represetnative of the general public on the Wellington Taxi Cab Control Comrpittee I wish to dissociate myself entirely from the majority decision of the committee which will be transmitted to you. “It will, I understand, be contended by my colleagues, with whom I am in difference. that your authority should refuse to grant the 10 returned soldier applicants the 10 licences you propose to issue for further taxi-cabs to operate in Wellington city. The reasons which will be adduced are inter alia that the present number of publie cabs operating, namely 189. is sufficient for all the city’s essential demands and that the holders of present licences would, if conditions become normal, be unable to make a reasonable living if any further number of cabs is allowed to operate. . “I have been chairman of the Taxi Cab Control Committee now for over a year find have in that time gained sufficient insight into the position generally to allow me to make the following observations with which I think citizens generally will agree. Ever since the private motorist had his petrol cut the taxi service in the city has been inadequate for the public demands. . “During the period our American Allies were with us even the public’s essential demands were far from satisfied, in fact many people consider, and rightly so, that the public who keep the cabs going in normal times —had from many operators a paw deal. _ “Sir Francis Frazer, the transport Appellate Authority, in an appeal case recently laid down the principle for guidance of local authorities that if in wartime it was found necessary to increase the number of taxi cabs in any district by more than 10 per cent, above peacetime service- then licences in excess of 10 per cent, should be granted for limited periods. The increase proposed by your authority is well within the 10 per cent limit, in fact, it is under 5 per cent. “Every licensing system brings about vested interests small or large. The public’s interests, however, should and must come before any of these interests, and in my view will best be served by the 10 licences applied for being granted. “I am sorry to be in disagreement with my colleagues on the Taxi Cab Control Committee. I realize, however, that all of them are either taxi owners or taxi drivers, and as such are personally aft fected bv your authority’s decision But I would be failing in my duty to the public as the public’s representative on the committee if I did not place before you the observations derived from my period ot service on the Taxi Cab Control Committee.”