GOODS SERVICE LICENCES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28249, 10 April 1957, Page 15

GOODS SERVICE LICENCES

Enforcement In City The Transport Department will be invited by the City Council to police goods services licences within the city. Recommending this decision to the council, the traffic committee said that one officer was employed by the council practically full - time on the inspection of licensed goods service vehicles and the enforcement of the Heavy Traffic Regulations, and that continuous supervision was carried out by all traffic officers when on patrol. However, the issue of licences was the responsibility of the No. 9 transport district, and not the council.

A complaint was received from the New Zealand Road Transport Alliance which said that for some years the local branch had been concerned about the lack of enforcement to prevent unlicensed goods services and breaches of licences in the city. Conference Protest

“The annual conference in October considered the matter and recommended to the Commissioner of Transport that enforcement of the Transport Licensing Regulations be transferred to the Transport Department,” said the letter from the branch secretary. “However, my branch is prepared to let the matter rest provided you provide adequate enforcement. Your records should show when a prosecution was last taken for conduct* of an unlicensed goods service or failing to carry a vehicle authority and/or carrying goods not specified in a continuous goods service licence. “It is regrettable that a Transport .Licensing Authority should judicially hear and grant applications for licences prescribing terms and conditions, which are enforceable, and no adequate enforcement follows such grants. “Further, it is quite unfair to licensees conducting regular services that they should suffer piratical competition from irregular services. “All that is required is regular inspections of vehicle authorities, which should be carried on the vehicles operating in the city and suburbs; similarly, inspections for the correct class of heavy traffic licences. For example, a six turned upside-down is annoying to licensees who strictly observe the heavy traffic class required and do the same work for the same pay. “Excessive hours are worked within the bounds of your administration on occasions,” the letter stated. It was fair to say that when attention was drawn to offences action was taken, the letter said, but that would be unnecessary if there was regular and adequate enforcement. Some members had not been asked to produce a vehicle authority in 16 years and more to show that they were carrying the right class of goods or not operating vehicles in excess of their licensed position, the letter stated. ________