TAXI CASES HEARD

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31384, 1 June 1967, Page 8

TAXI CASES HEARD

Transport Licensing In a test case, which sought to overcome the one-man, onecab regulation, the Licensing Authority for the Christchurch Transport District (Mr J. S. Haywood) yesterday indicated his favour but adjourned the application sine die. The applicant, David John Fowke, of Gold Band Taxis, Christchurch, sought an amendment to a continuous taxi-cab licence by the addition of the following special conditions:— “That in the event of a holder of a continuous taxi service licence being granted an additional licence, that he drive one of his licenced vehicles for a period of not less than 40 hours in each period of seven days, spread over not less than five days in that period and for not less than 47 such periods in every period of 52 consecutive weeks unless the Licensing Authority expressly modifies this condition or the taxi-cab is off the road for repairs.” As well as hearing evidence from the applicant, the Authority also heard submissions from representatives of the taxi industry and the district officer for the Transport Department (Mr D. L. Hogan). Mr Hogan said the conditions the applicant sought were admirable and if granted, the possibility of farming out taxi-cab licences would be eliminated. Existing special conditions required all licencees to drive their cabs for an aggregate period of not less than four days in each week. “What the special condition in the application really means is that licencees will be able to expand their business iby operating more than one vehicle,” he said. The Authority at the hearing also granted a transfer of a continuous taxi-cab service licence from Charles John Murphy, of Christchurch, through Nora Agnes Shennan to William Douglas Shennan.