TAXI LICENCES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 230, 27 June 1944, Page 6

TAXI LICENCES

Wellington Applications For Transfer REHABILITATION BOARD'S PREFERENCE LIST Five applications for the transfer of taxi licences were considered by the \\ elliugtou Metropolitan Licensing Authority yesterday. Three of the proposed transferees were ex-servicemen. Two were men who, through unfitness, had done no military service. Mr. T. G. Taylor, for the Lv> habilimtiou Board, submitted a list 01 seven ex-servicemen in the order in wuien rbe board considered they should b-‘ granted licences. This list included two of the proposed transferees, but they were sixth and seventh respectively in the board’s order of preference for the five licences available. One of these hud been granted a loan; the other had had his loan application approved. Mr. Taylor referred the authority to legislative amendments directing authorities to consider rehabilitation aud unnecessarily high financial considerations involved in transfers or purchases, when deciding on licences. TA arliuie sacrifices should be considered in the present eases, he submitted. The board 'furnished its list from the full particulars it necessarily had of ex-servicemep wanting licences. To Mr. AV. J. Gaudin, he said acceptance of the board's nominees was suggested but was uot compulsory, as the regulations now stood. If the legislation was not given lull effect it might well be that it would be considered necessary to tighten it. , , , Mr. B. J. Todd suggested that it would be better for the board to inform taxi licence owners of intending ex-servicemen purchasers. Those wishing to sell could then contact the board. Mr. Taylor commented that some informatiou about applicants’ services did not tally with the official records. He could onijy presume the authority had to accept in good faith information supplied to it. The chairman, Mr. M. F. Luckie, said the authority was asked to give effect to the board’s opinion, but without knowing on what it was based. An applicant for one of the five licences had a rehabilitation loan granted on security aflproved by the board; yet he was sixth on its list. There was no objection to the sixth aud seventh listed getting licences, but the board thought the first five should get prior consideration, replied Mr. Taylor, It had all the information of the men's service, and circumstances. Mr. A. M. Cousins, for an applicant with 11 months’ home service, from which he was taken by the manpower authorities, said that all consideration must be given to ex-servicemen, but licences must not come to be regarded as rewards for the longest service. In granting licences there were other considerations of the public interest to be taken into account. Mr. R. M. Watterson questioned whether the board had any standing at the sittings of the authority which could onlyhear objections from those “directly interested.” The board, wag only an agent. Mr. Luckie .said that if the board had standing it was as “good friend” of the ex-servicemen. Mr. Watterson continued that the war was being fought for democracy and freedom, but was freedom to make a contract to be denied to two men, who through no fault of their own had been unable to serve, because the board said that nons but its list should be considered. Mr. Taylor: It would be a greater scandal if, after the war, taximen now overseas were to be prevented from resuming their occupations because men who have not served hold the licences, Mr. Luckie replied that (be bulk of applications granted by the authority had been to ex-serveemen, They would always be given first consideration particularly those whose injuries prevented them taking up other occupations. The authority will consider later this week the representations made and also the matter of values attaching to some of the proposed transfers.