Went Elsewhere For Taxi License

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 27, 2 February 1937, Page 10

Went Elsewhere For Taxi License

COURT PROCEEDINGS FOLLOW Seeking a taxi driver’s license, Mervyn Richards went, to the Palmerston North City Council but was refused as tho police had reported adversely. Richards subsequently went to the Foxton Borough Council on the same errand but this time managed successfully. Then he came back to Palmerston North and started to drive a taxi presumably to the consternation of tho city traffic inspectors who claimed that the Foxton license was not in order. Tho sequel was Richard’s appearance beforo tho Magistrate yesterday under four charges, namely, that he had no driver’s license, that his application had not been made to tho authority in tho district where he permanently resided, that he had not presented to the Foxton Borough Council the most recent license held by him, and that he had obtained tho license other than by writing. All these four acts, it was claimed, were against tho regulations. Mr H. R. Cooper, who appeared for tho city council, said the council took a serious view of the matter. Nobody was allowed to get a taxi license except in tho town where he resided otherwise a person might go as far as Invercargill for one. it would be as absurd as an hotel licensee in Palmerston North applying in Invercargill for a Palmerston North license. Traffic Inspector Smith stated that the city council had refused Richards a license because the police did not recommend it. Mr F. G. Opie, counsel for defendant: It is the old story of once a man is down, he is hounded . . . Mr J. L. Stout., S.M.: I can’t listen to any old story. lam not going into the question as to why the city council refused a license. Tho whole question is, did Richards mislead the Foxton Borogh Council? I agree that 1 cannot penalise defendant for running under that license. It was issued and it is for the borough council to recall it. However, Richards must have made some misrepresentation because his address on the license is shown as Foxton. Counsel: Defendant has nothing he wants to hide. His Worship: Why go to Foxton at all? lie was not a resident there and none should have been issued him there, if you think he has been hounded, why not take proceedings and force the city council to issue a license. They can only refuse on reasonaole grounds. ALr Opie: The police are trying to deprive this man of his livelihood. lie was given a license from December, 1935, to May, 1936, and then a renewal was refused him although the circumstances were exactly the same. It would be interesting to know how many motorists are familiar with all the regulations tucked away in 1500 pages of the Gazette. Even your Worship admitted a few moments ago that you were unaware of these particular regulations. Mr Stout: But if I were applying for a taxi license I would probably look them up. Air Opie thought tho local bodies should inform motorists as to what was required. Mr Stout: Why didn’t Richards tell the Foxton people that he couldn’t get a license in Palmerston North? Mr Opie: It is the duty of the local authority to make the necessary inquiries. Richards told the clerk he was going to drive in Palmerston North. If the local bodies knew their job these irregularities wouldn* t occur. The Foxton Borough (Council waived the necessity to apply m writing. Richards wasn’t even asked to sign a form. Air Stout: It seems to me that the Foxton Borough Council can recall this license because they had no right to issue it. Counsel: But they have issued it. His Worship: Then they can cancel it. Ho deliberately didn’t let them know he was refused in Palmerston North. Counsel: Everything he did at Foxton was done innocently. His Worship: There was not much innocence about it. He was trying to get one on to tho Palmerston North City Council Air Cooper declared that the defence was as impudent a one as had even been put up to any court. Air Opie: Ho ceased driving as Boon as tho inspector spoke to him. Air Cooper; Will you give an undertaking in writing that ho won’t drive any more? Air Opie: When this license is cancelled. Counsel then conferred with Richards who gave an undertaking that ho wouldn’t drive again. Afr Cooper declared himself satisfied. His Worship adjourned sino die tho charges of not producing his latest license and not applying in his own district. Tho other two charges were dismissed.

Some books according to a reviewer, are a positive incentive to murder. Perhaps that explains why some authors write under an assumed name. A critic is of the opinion that English wireless programmes are superior to our own. .They certainly do make New Zealand listeners sit up. “ A sunset in Tahiti,” says a traveller, “is a deep orange and fiery red shot with bright mauve and. . Anyway, as far as stay-at-homes are concerned, it’s like a Christmas gift necktic.

Advice has been received by the Government Tourist Department from Air Al. O’Brien, New Zealand Commissioner at the Empire Exhibition, Johannesburg, that right up to closing of tho exhibition there were many enquiries about the curative possibilities of the Rotorua spa. The special literature dealing with tho thermal regions prepared by the Government Publicity Office, and distributed at the exhibition, was in keen demand, and the commissioner says that numbers of people approached him asking for particulars, having decided to visit New Zealand at the first favourable opportunity.