SIGHT SEEING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 127, 1 June 1939, Page 13

SIGHT SEEING.

SERVING TOURISTS.

LICENSES RENEWED.

AUTHORITY'S COMMENT. The point that he as the Number 1 Transport Licensing Authority, the Government Tourist Department, taximen, bus proprietors or anyone else had the right to dictate to tourists as to how they should travel, when they should travel or that they should travel at all, wae made by the authority, Mr. E. J. Phelan, this morning when delivering his decision in connection with recent applications made with respect to sightseeing buses operating to Titirangi and surrounding districts.

For the purpose of giving his decision, Mr. Phelan called together representatives of the Tourist Department, taxi proprietors and tourist operators generally. He renewed licenses to the sightseeing bus operators, who operate from the Chief Post Office, and approved of fares a« at present charged, but declined applicants' request to commence their services at the wharves or deviate from their present starting . point to the wharves on any trip.

Mr. Phelan contended that this right to deviate was only necessary when tourist boats were in port. In view of the fact that the extent of tours was regulated by the time of a vessel's arrival and the duration of its stay at Auckland, he expressed the opinion that the position could quite adequately be met by the issue of temporary licenses. These temporary licensee, he explained, would enumerate the exact route to be followed, and the Tourist Department would now book tourists for taxi and bus tours without discrimination, permits being issued in accordance with the Department's recommendations.

Mr. Phelan added that the question of what tour he should make wae one entirely for the individual tourist and for him alone. All he a-s. the authority had to do was to see that the service whi"h the tourist required would be available for him when he stepped off the boat at Auckland.