H.—4OA.

APPEALS. 5. When the present Board assumed office a large number of appeals had accumulated, and as a result appeals from Licensing Authorities have occupied much of the Board's time during the year, and have involved a considerable amount of travelling. In the early stages of any legislation attempting to regulate a large industry it is inevitable that many appeals will be brought in order to obtain the most authoritative decisions possible. The intention of the Legislature has to be determined, and new principles laid down, and in the initial stages the law is sure to receive varying interpretations from the different bodies which administer it; and standard decisions have to be obtained from the Board hearing appeals, as guides to the lower authorities and in order to effect a uniform administration of the law throughout the Dominion. Appeals may be expected to diminish in number as law and practice become settled. 6. With regard to passenger transport licenses, the industry has now reached a stage of moderate stability. Pew appeals are being filed against decisions of Licensing Authorities, and throughout the year the Board has not been called on to give any decision of more than local importance or of sufficient interest to need a reference in this report. 7. With regard to goods-services the position is different, because of the comparatively short time during which commercial goods transport has been subject to the licensing-system. The original Act, as regards passenger-services, began to be enforced early in 1932; but it was not until the first day of June, 1933, that goods-services became subject to the Act and regulations were made for their control. Passenger-services have therefore been under control for eighteen months longer than goods-services. 8. Although the position as regards goods-services is not the same yet as with passengerservices and the number of appeals during the past year has been large accordingly, there are signs of increasing stability which lead us to expect that the number of appeals will materially diminish during the current year. 9. The following table shows the number of appeals that have been heard during the year under review, and the nature of the decisions given:—

Table I. —Details regarding Appeals heard during Year ended 31st March, 1935.

2

Decisions. Transport District Number of . . Number of No. Appeals Decision of Decision of Decision of Appeals heard. Licensing Licensing Licensing ... , withdrawn Authorities Authorities Authorities Adjourned. upheld. reversed. modified. (a) Passenger-services. 1 •• .. .. 3 2 .... 10 5 3 2 i 4 •• ■■ •• .. .. " 5 •• .. ;; ;; i 6 .... 5 2 2 1 9 7 .... i .. i .. ;; 8 .. .. 4 2 • • 1 2 ft 9 .... 5 3 2 .. " ? 10 .... 1 .. .. i " & Central 2 1 1 ' ' Ô Dunedin Metro- 1 1 politan Totals 29 14 9 6 .. ~22 (b) Goods-services. 1 2 1 1 , .... 50 8 22 18 '2 14 4 • • ■ ■ 5 4 .. 1 20 5 .... 9 3 4 2 , 6 .... 17 5 10 .. 2 4 7 .... 6 3 1 1 | | 8 .... 24 12 7 5 17 9 .... 13 3 5 5 " 2 10 .. 9 1 3 5 " i Central 6 3 2 1 .. 22 Totals .. 141 43 55 38 5 85