TRANSPORT LICENSING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20027, 28 August 1939, Page 6

TRANSPORT LICENSING

PROPOSED MEASURE SUGGESTED CHANGE (Per Press Association) MASTERTON, this day. Mr. T. Jordan, president, and Mr. A. E. Hurley, secretary of the Municipal Association, waited on the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, in Wellington on Saturday in connection with proposals embodied lin the Transport Licensing Bill soon to be brought before Parliament. The proposed measure provides for the taking over of the licensing of taxis and town carriers in four large metropolitan areas, which are to do the licensing in. their particular districts. The deputation presented a resolution carried by the Municipal Association’s conference that other boroughs and cities should be placed on the same footing as these metropolitan areas.

The proposed bill provides for the giving of a certificate by the local authority to the Transport Department that the applicant is a fit and proper person to hold a license and it seemed to the deputation that this was further reason why the licensing should be completed by the local authority. The mere fact that one or two councils were unwilling to carry out their functions was no reason for depriving the great body of borough councils of their right to licensing control in what was a purely local function.

The Minister promised to consider the matter carefully, but indicated that he did not think it at all likely that boroughs with a population of less than 6000 would be given the right to license.