MOTOR-BUS TRAFFIC ACT

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1926, Page 7

MOTOR-BUS TRAFFIC ACT

QUESTION OF INTERPRETATION. AN APPEAL PROBABLE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. At a meeting of the No. 1 (City) licensing authority, the city solicitor, Mr. Johnstone, stated that whatever might be the true construction of the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act, it was dear that the regulations under the Act contemplated that applications to any particular authority should be limited to services wholly within that authority’s district. Mr. Johnstone disagreed with the judgment of Mr. .McKean, S.M. The legislature had not omitted to declare that a license was necessary, and if it had merely omitted to make special provision to meet the present case (in Takapuna) that was an omission which operated not in favour of, but against, an applicant and he must obtain the necessary license, even though strict compliance with the Act may work some hardship. In his opinion the council would not be justified in issuing a license for that portion of the Takapuna-Devonport service which was outside the No. 1 licensing district. An application for a license of this kind was deferred, in view of the probability of an appeal against the magisterial decision.