TAXI LICENCES

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26119, 23 May 1950, Page 3

TAXI LICENCES

APPLICATIONS HEARD . BY AUTHORITY

INCREASE OF 20 PROPOSED An objection to the granting of 20 additional taxi service licences in the Christchurch Metropolitan area was made by the Canterbury Taxi Proprietors’ Association (Mr J. S. Haywood) at a sitting of the Christchurch Metropolitan Licensing Authority yesterday. A start was made on the hearing of 162 applications for the 20 new licences proposed by the Authority. A formal objection to the granting of the licences to other than returned servicemen, and to the application by Gold Band Taxis, Ltd., for five new licences was made by the Director of Rehabilitation (Mr C. G. Rands).

The granting of additional licences or cab authorities would adversely affect the economy of existing licences including discharged servicemen, said Mr Haywood. Economic instability would cause hardships to existing licensees and would inevitably reduce the efficiency of service to users of taxi-cabs. “I ask the Authority to take into account the recent removal of subsidies, thereby increasing the cost of living amongst a large section of the people dependent upon taxis for motor transport,” said Mr Haywood. “The Authority can only deal with an application or applications before it and in this case has misdirected itself in law. It has thereby exceeded its judicial powers in prejudging the transport requirements of this district.” he said.

“The granting of 20 additional licences is neither necessary nor desirable in the public interest,” said Donald Livingstone Campbell, chairman of the Taxi Proprietors’ Association, in evidence. The grant would adversely affect the economy of existing licensees with a resultant decreased efficiency in service to the public. The increase in the number of buses being operated by the Christchurch Tramway Board, New Zealand Railway Road Services, and private operators had greatly decreased the demand for taxis, said the witness. The installation of the radiotelephone had also increased the efficiency of taxi-cab services. There were 55 cars in one organisation now fitted with this equipment. He estimated that the granting of 20 additional licences on a single shift basis would require approximately £25.009 additional revenue each year. He contended that this required revenue could not be derived from new business. It was also stated that any such revenue would be largely derived at the expense of existing licensees. Private Hire System Henry Bethel Clarence Parkin, chairman of directors of Rink Taxis (1948), Ltd., said that he had operated his own taxi»cab for more than two years. He said that over a period a private hire system provided'more steady business than the public hire system. With private hire it was necessary to work long hours. He considered that the hours of duty were too long for the revenue derived. Those hours were approximately 12 a day for six days a week. The day off duty Was never completely free from business. “On the grounds of my commercial experience, and more than two years’ close observation of these taxi services. I consider that the introduction of additional capital involved in the proposed new licences is an economic danger to the taxi industry as a whole.” said Mr Parkin.

To Mr C. D. W. L. Sheppard, a member of the Authority. Mr Parkin said that he would strongly advise all the applicants before the Authority to withdraw their applications as there was not sufficient remuneration in the business for the long hours which had to be worked. “If any friend approached me about going into the taxi business I would strongly advise him against it,” he said.

For the Rehabilitation Department, Mr Rands said that a careful screening of returned serviceman applicants had been made. The department considered that if the Authority granted 20 licences, they should all be allocated the returned servicemen. Thirteen applications were heard, including that of Gold Band Taxis. Ltd , for whom Mr R. A. Young appeared. It was stated that while the turnover of the firm had greatly increased during the last few years, operating costs had also been considerably increased. It was considered that a few more cars in the fleet would relieve the high operating costs. The sitting will be continued this afternoon and evening, and to-mor-row. with the hearing of further applications.