TAXI SERVICES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 38, 15 February 1943, Page 4

TAXI SERVICES

UNIFIED CONTROL

ESSENTIAL FOR EFFICIENCY

The necessity for unified licensing and control to ensure efficiency in the taxi services of Auckland was agreed to by the Auckland Transport Board sitting as the Metropolitan Licensing Authority this morning. A resolution to this effect was moved by Mr. W H Nagle, and seconded by Mr. R. Armstrong. The board furtheragreed that such unified control should have full powers to ensure necessary enforcement. Conference To-morrow In speaking to the motion, Mr. Nagle said that in view of the fact that-the Minister of Transport, Mr. o'B»ien. would be in Auckland tomorrow for a conference to investigate the taxi position, the board would be wise to come to an expression of opinion. He believed that the divided control existing at present was the cause of much of the problem. "There are two other licensing powers besides this authority, but none of us has any real powers." said Mr. Nagle. "We've either to get right into it or right out." Mr. J. A. C. Allum said the position was not so easy to dispose of. The question, he considered, was not one of divided control, but of discipline. There was no effective control over taxi operators as there was, for instance, over the bus operators,, because each taxi driver was a free lance. Divided control was not the difficulty, because this existed in the bus services and gave no complaints. It was necessary owing to the fact that each authority had special powers. The metropolitan authority examined the vehicles, the City Council the taxi drivers, and a third .authority issued the service licenses. Petrol For American*) Mr. Allum made a further suggestion that additional petrol should be issued to taxi operators from the U'.S. authorities' stores, to cater for American servicemen. "These visitors have the taxi habit to a greater extent than we have, and should be provided for by their own authorities." he said. Captain Judson agreed with this suggestion. Mr. Armstrong, said 'that the example of Britain might be followed by providing a number of taxis each day for the use of the Americans. He emphasised that the public interest was the first concern.