GOODS SERVICES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 188, 11 August 1933, Page 13

GOODS SERVICES.

PROVISIONS OF ACT.

NO. 1 LICENSING AUTHORITY. WKANGAREX APPLICATIONS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WHANGAREI, this day. The first meeting of No. 1 Transport Licensing Authority to consider licensing goods services was held in Whangarei yesterday. At the outset the chairman, Mr. W. Jones, clarified provisions in the Act. Automatic licenses only stood where the area had actually heen worked after November 11, 1931. Operators, however, had the right of applying for extensions. Proposed charges submitted in the applications did not appear in all cases to be in the bast interests of the operators. The Licensing Authority did not intend to be very arbitrary at this stage, and in districts where competition; existed it was not likely that charges would be altered at present. Where only one service operated and charges were not reasonable or in accordance with the average, the authority miojht step in. Mr. Jones iysued a warning that while on this occasion the procedure might be comparatively easy, operators would have to fight for their licenses next year. They would then be required to supply the fullest ligures and information. Only 9 per cent of carriers in New Zealand had goods insurance, although all were liable as common carriers. • Mr. Jones asked operators to consider this aspect before next year.

The chairman then proceeded to deal with the difficulties of carriage of passengers under a, goods license. It should be clearly understood that where passengers were carried on goods service trucks, the operator was responsible if accidents occurred. In districts where people required to be carried out, he advised operators to apply for passenger service licenses. Carriers of sporting teams ran very dangerous ripks. They were responsible for life and limb. Such carriers should take out certificates of fitness, and if passenger service licenses were not secured, should take out contract licenses for their vehicles. . The Act desired to give full elasticity of movement to metal contractors. There would be no difficulty,' this year at any rate, in tho case of a carrier whose license was in respect to Whangarei County and who secured work by contract elsewhere.

Continuing, Mr. Jones said the Act would operate on Sundays, and if a truck driver carried on his. usual business on that day he would be liable under the Police Offences Act. It had been reported that many carriers worked oil Sundays, and this was considered unfair to their coinpetitore who respected the seventh day. Extraordinary cases could be exempted under the Police Offences Act.

Twenty-six applications were then dealt with.