TRANSPORT LICENSING

Evening Star, Issue 22686, 28 June 1937, Page 8

TRANSPORT LICENSING

SITTING OF NO. 4 AUTHORITY Evidence and representations for and against the granting of applications tor goods and passenger services licenses were heard at a sitting of the No,. 4 Transport Licensing Authority, leld in the courthouse this morning. Mr V. Raines presided. PASSENGER LICENSES. Union Airways Ltd., Dunejlin, made ..pplication for a continuous passensr service license. Mr A. N. Haggitt ppearing in support of the application. . .10 license was to cover two car routes .) and from the Taieri Airport—one via the Taieri and the other over Flagstaff. It was explained that the Airways applied in its own name and contracted) with a taxi firm to make the trips to and from the airport.— Granted. Application for an amendment of his passenger service license was made by W. J. 0. Whitson, Middlemareh, and granted. In respect of six road services the Minister of Railways made application lor amendments of passenger service licenses, Mr H. L. Gibson, local traffic manager; stating that the amendments concerned special concession fares for school children and concessions I. available for two weekly periods-for adults. REVOCATION OF LICENCE. Application by A. M. Finnic for revocation of a passenger service license was granted. OBJECTION TO APPLICATIONS. Decision was reserved in the cases of J. J. Brogan, Dunedin, and J. E. Lloyd, Shag Point, who made application tor amendment of their goods service licenses. Mr J G. Warrington appeared in support of the applications, and Mr J. P. Ward objected on principle oh behalf of the Master Carriers and Owner-driver Carriers’ Association. _Mr Ward said the association felt justified in making submissions of matters of general importance in principle that went to the foundation of transport licensing. One matter causing concern at present was the method of granting goods licenses for local body and Government contracts. In the past, these applications appeared to have been granted without any reference to the guiding principles of necessity and desirability in the public interest. A number of new applicants were asking for goods licenses to permit of road contract work. The association strongly urged that close attention he given to the number of existing licensed vehicles. A young and inexperienced owner-driver would often tender for work at an uneconomical price in order to make a beginning. Other operators who were paying award wages, and who had been paying fees to the Transport Department for years, felt they should be given some protection, particularly when the law debarred them from competing under similar conditions. A number of the older operators felt that they were not receiving reasonable protection in return for the license fees paid. The association emphasised that the submissions were'made in the spirit of cooperation with the authority and in an endeavour to prevent further trouble. The Chairman said he was of the firm opinion that &!l of the road contractors in the No. 4 district should .be in an association of their own. They were nobody’s business at present, and they did not seem to be doing anything for themselves. It would not be a big job to organise an association of their own. GOODS SERVICES. W. S. Jolly’s, Dunedin, application for a seasonal goods service license was supported by Mr G. S. Raymond, and granted. J. Vickers, Karitane, was granted a continuous goods service license. A goods service liceus'e was also granted R. A. Storey, Evansdale. A. Calhoun, Outram, made application for a goods service license. The anplication was supported by Mr W. P. Hartstonge, while Mr J. P. Ward opposed it on behalf of the association and an existing operator. The evidence had not been completely heard when the authority adjourned for lunch.