THROUGH SERVICE CARS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3522, 10 August 1926, Page 2

THROUGH SERVICE CARS.

TO BE ENCOURAGED BY BOROUGH COUNCIL.

By resolution at last month’s Borough Council meeting the Town Clerk was instructed to obtain the 'Municipal Solicitor’s opinion as to whether a license i'ee could be charged service cars passing through the borough. At last night’s Council meeting the follow-* ing legal opinion was read from Mr. T. F. Martin: —I am of opinion that the words in “The Public Works Act, 1908,” Sect. 139 (2) 11, “that no other charge is levied thereon by the local authority refer to charges made as for the use of roads, and do not refer to license fees for plying for hire. If the vehicle, bging a motor lorry as defined therein, has a Heavy Traffic License under the Motor Lorry Regulations. the fee for plying for hire can still he charged.”

The Mayor said that it was a great pity for the Council to attempt to levy a license on service cars passing through the town. It may seem unfair to local taxi drivers to allow outside cars to pass through Foxton without taking out a license in the borough and he suggested that the Council should remit the few pounds collected from the local taxi-drivers. There had been correspondence in the local paper about the matter, but he thought the Council may have been misrepresented. They did not wish to stop service ears from passing through Foxton. Cr. Walker said that it would be unwise to compel service cars to pay a license, but he did not agree with the Mayor that the local taxidrivers should have their fees re.mitted. He would suggest a slight reduction be made .in their fees. Cr. Winstanley said that if the fees Averc remitted anyone could put a car on the stand locally. He suggested that the service cars be charged a small fee. Owing to the flood they had to go to Wellington via Palmerston North, an extra 50 miles and he thought that they would rather pay a small fee than go an extra 50 miles round Palmerston when the roads were open . <' again. The Mayor: We want to.see Foxton a port of call for all service cars. Continuing, he said that it was only the duty of the Council when approached by local taxi-driv-ers who had to pay a fee, to go into the matter. The Council should encourage the service cars rather than stand in their way.

Cr. McMurray said that the local taxis where in the same position as the service cars. They could visit outside towns with passengers without having to take out a license in that town.

The Clerk said that Foxton-Levin service car had to take out a license in both towns.

It was pointed out that this cai plied for hire in Levin. Cr. McMurray said that the local taxis received passengers from the. service cars.

Cr. Rand: Yess and they carry passengers to Wellington if they get them.

Or. Wi nsl a nicy said that if the service cars kept to their booking offices and only took passengers that had booked up there would lie no trouble. They would not then be plying for hire. The Mayor stressed the point that the Council wanted to encourage the service ears rather than prevent them from visiting Foxton and the discussion dropped.