NEW SERVICE CAR ROUTE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24801, 15 February 1946, Page 6

NEW SERVICE CAR ROUTE

APPEAL AGAINST LICENCE ALLOWED A continuous passenger service, licence for the Riwaka-Nelson route • by way of Motueka, Moutere, Appleby I and Richmond, granted to a returned serviceman, A. G. Smith, has been refused by the Transport Appeal ; Authority (Sir Francis Frazer) in his decision on an appeal against the de-; cision of the No. 3 Transport Licens- | ing ■ Authority (Mr T. H Langford). The appellants against the granting of i the licence were Gibbs (Nelson) ! Motors, Limited, and Newman Bros., i Limited. Their appeals were allowed, , and Mr Langfora’s decision was reversed. jn his decision Sir Francis Frazer says that Mr Smith has had considerable experience as a service-car, driver in the district. He is described i as a capable and efficient person, and < there is no question as to his personal suitability to hold a licence. ‘The appellants have large fleets, and though their operations were subject to war-time restrictions im- j posed by the Transport Authority, they maintained a reasonably adequate ■ service throughout the. war period,”) says Sir Francis Frazer. “The easing . of the petrol and rubber stock posi- j tion will probably have the effect of• reducing the number of passengers requiring to travel by service car be- 1 tween Riwaka and Nelson. It is ob- ; vipus that a new service running on ; practically the same time-table as the I existing morning service from Riwaka 1 to Nelson, and the existing afternoon j service from Riwaka to Nelson, can-1 not be justified. |J “In the absence of evidence indi-;< eating the inability of the licensed i i operators to give an adequate service,! 5 and In view of the statistical infor- < mation regarding the number of pas- | sengers carried over the route. I am • compelled to conclude that the licens-; j ing of an additional service is not <= necessary or desirable in the public. interest. It would, in fact, lead to ■ c destructive and uneconomic competi- c tion.” J