TAXIS AND CARSIERS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 91, 4 May 1937, Page 11

TAXIS AND CARSIERS

. — — — « o ■ — — Revenue Lost Through Licences "THIN EDGE OF WEDGE" When taxis and carriers are brOUght within the SCope of the Transport Lifefefising Afct, the Napier Borough Council will los© £116 15/0 a' year itt revenne, because under the Act it will ttbt be obligatofy for driVers to take out plying-fbr-hire licenses in the borough. This fact was pointed out to the council last evening by the traffic inspeetor, Mr A. M. Oliver, who made a report upon the recommendationB Of the coiflmittee of inquiry into the taxi and town carrying business. "This looks like the thin edge of the wedge toWards losing old-established rightS," commented Cr P. F. HigginS. "W© eannot afford to lose these large sums of money." The council decided to enter a prbtest and to ask the New Zfealand Municipal Afesociation to take immediate aetion in the matter. "In September, 1934, this couneil passed a by-laW limiting the number of taxis plying for hire and also fi'xed a miTiimom aS Wfell as a maximutn fare," reported Mr Dllver. "This hylaw was put into opetation in ordet to improve the eonditions of our local taxi business and has aehieVed its object to a very great extent. "The committee of enquiry, however, has rfeViewed the whole of the taxi and town carryihg business in the Dominion and in View Of the very unSatisfactory eonditions existing, they have made the recOmmendation previously referred to. The Minister of Transport is of the opinjon that Parliament should decide the matter of givitig effeet to the rfecoxnmendatidn o£. the committee although he, himself, has power to do so in accordance with section 16 (1) of Thie Transport Licensing Amendment Act, 1936. "He has received strong representations to avail hiimself of this power, but before doing So, he would be glad to learn whethefr this council is agreeable to his- doing so. "In my opinion there is no doubt that Parliament wiil approve generally of -£ffe findings of the comimittee and I recommend that the council approve of the Minister taking aetion under the section 16 (1) of The Transport Licensing Amendxnent Act, 1936. "For the council' s information, however, I would point out that when taxis and carriers are brought within the scopfe of the Transport Licensing Act it will not be obligatory for them to take out plying-for-hire lieenses iu the Borough. "This means a loss of revenu© to the council of £116 15/- per anuum. In addition to this, taxis and carriers Will still require supervision by the loeal Authorities' Traffic Department ; stands have to be provided, marked out and maintained, and provision should be made for a portion of the fees which the licensing authority would receive to be paid to the local authority."