TAXI LICENCE APPLICATIONS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26121, 25 May 1950, Page 3

TAXI LICENCE APPLICATIONS

HEARING BY AUTHORITY CONCLUDED The taxi industry was still attractive not only to owners but also drivers, said’Mr R. A. Young, for Gold Band Taxis, Ltd., and individual applicants, at the conclusion last evening of the Christchurch Metropolitan Licensing Authority’s hearing of applications for 20 proposed new taxi-cab authorities. It had been estimated by Gold Band Taxis, Ltd., that there would be £2OOO revenue from a doubleshifted car, and if 20 new licences were granted £40.000 revenue would be required if the cars were to be economically operated. It would be difficult to see where that amounts would come from, said Mr Young. The taxi industry in Christchurch was highly organised and efficient, and a service as good as §ny in New Zealand was provided. It was sailing fairly close to the wind at the moment and too many additional licences might seriously affect existing operators People would have to pay a little more for their taxis, and this also might affect the industry. There had been no dearth of suitable applicants among those who had applied. Mr Young considered that the Authority should place considerable weight on the evidence of such experienced operators as Messrs T. W. Hogg, J. M. Doody, and A. H. Archer At the same time it should alscr Consider the evidence of Messrs D. L Campbell and H. B. C. Parkin. The last of the 168 applicants for the proposed new licences was heard by the Authority late last evening The chairman (Mr E. H. Andrews) said , that anot her meeting might be called to allow the public the 'opportunity of stating if it thought that new taxi-cab authorities were necessary it would also take some time to consider JhorouX, nUmber of The advocate for the Canterbury Taxi Proprietor Association (Mr J S Haywood) informed the Authority that he would supply his final submissions in writing.