LICENSING AUTHORITY

Grey River Argus, 16 August 1934, Page 2

LICENSING AUTHORITY

SITTING AT GREYMOUTH. The No. 7 Transport Licensing Authority sat yesterday at Greymouth, when a number of applications were dealt with. The members of the Authority are: Dr. S. A. Gibb, Mr J. W. Hannan, and Mr Errol Reid. Dr. Gibb said there were one or two matters he would like to speak on, before the business routine of the meet ing was commenced. The Licensing Authority had held great hopes thaf by this time financial and statistical returns would have been available, and that these would be of great assistance in adjusting road transport. However, he regretted to state that the returns now in were so incomplete as not to be of the value anticipated. A regrettable feature of this was that if these returns were taken from the transporters’ books, then they would not be giving a correct idea of running costs, and many might be living in a paradise which really did not exist. He' trusted more complete records would be kept in future—based on facts rather than guesswork. J. AV. Lester, Maruia, applied for license authority for: (J) MaruiaReefton, with diversion to Marui'i Springs; (2) Maruia-Alurchison, with license to carry goods.—Application

approved. D. W. Robertson applied for two transport vehicle authorities within a twelve-mile radius of Reefton railway station; also Reefton-Maruia, for carriage of general goods, and ReeftonAVestport, with explosives only.—Application granted, subject to applicant completing his financial and statistical return within a month. R. Patterson applied for one vehicle authority, Inangahua County, general goods.—Granted subject to the financial and statistical return being sent in within four weeks, and subject to, certain restrictions in connection with railway matters. J. O. Byrne "fMr A. AL Jamieson), one vehicle authority, general goods, Ikamatua to AVaiuta, with deviations up to ten miles along side roads, and the right to cart timber from Totara Flat.—G ranted.

B. I. Cummings, Ikamatua, three vehicles, coal, timber and general goods, Ikamatua to AVaiuta, with deviation, along side roads up to ten miles, and the right to go to Greymouth monthly for explosives for the Blackwater mine.—Granted. T. N. Mouatt, one vehicle service. Punakaiki-Greymouth, general goods.- - Granted, subject to production of financial statement for six mouths

ended March 31, in four weeks. T. Ryall, Barry town (Mr T. F. Broinan), one vehicle service, PunakaikiGreymouth, and the right to pick up timber within an area of seven miles of Greymouth, for delivery north of Rapahoe. Also the right to carry passengers. T. N. Mon at t objected to the application for the right to carry passengers. The application for goods was granted, and Dr. Gibb stated that the Authority did not consider it advisable to allow him to carry passengers each day, as could be done under his application, but were prepared to accept an amended application to carry passengers on Tuesdays and Fridays, at the fares at present existing over the route. The amended application was granted. Stewart and Haswell (Mr J. A. Murdoch), three vehicle authorities, Westland County, Ross to Okarito Forks, general goods, and for increased vehicle authority to 2| tons. —Granted. J. K. MeKey, one vehicle authority, Boss railway station to Waitaha, cheese and factory requirements, wool in season. —Application granted. Mrs M. Dunn, one vehicle authority from 12-mile via Coast Road to Greymouth, coal to Grey River Hospital.— Granted. A. M. Cameron, two vehicle authorities, routes (a) Evans’ Creek to Ross (timber) and back load goods to timber mill only; (b) Evans’ <?reek to

Weheka, with minor deviations (timber only).—G rant e d. G. B. and A. R. B. Norris applied for one vehicle license, Reefton to Murchison, through Maruia Valley and Matakitaki Valley, for general goods and sheep. An objection was raised by .1. W. Lester. To Dr. Gibb, A. R. B. Norris said it would occasionally be necessary to run to Murchison only once or twice a year. The firm would run regularly on the Reefton-Maruin Road, carrying out a contract. To Mr Hannan, Norris said that the service between Reefton and Maruia had been regularly carried out. Mr Hannan said that Mr Norris’s application for the Maruia- Reefton service had last year been refused, as the applicant had made no appearance. Yet he had carried on as though he had a license. Norris said that last year he did not know personal appearance was necessary. The £2 application fee had been wasted. He had been mostly engaged in carting butter, although he had no license, because otherwise he would have lost the contract and his deposit. Because he had no license he had not carried goods. Mr Lester said he thought Mr Norris had been treated very well, in that he had not been reported. He knew, very well Norris was carrying goods other than butter. His point was that he only ran one trip a week, and could run ten if necessary. There were two other services operating.

Norris said there were not enough services. If Mr Lester had the butter and cream to cart, he could not manage it with only one lorry. Dr. Gibb said the Authority was of the opinion that applicant had not made out a case to carry genera’ goods. The application, amended to allow goods to be carted for the Golden (’oast Dairy Factory, between Maruia and Reefton, was granted. L. S. Higgins (Mr A. J. Murdoch), license to carry timber, Koiterangi Sawmill to Hokitika, three times weekly.—G ra n ted. G. Searle, Harihari, authority, two vehicles, Ross to Harihari with minor deviations and the following conditions; (a) the right to convey from any point as far south as Waiho; (b) right to connect with railway to Christchurch, if unable to connect at Ross. Called by Searle, G. Rowley, of Harihari, stated that, by power of attorney, he had run Mr Searle’s service from November last year to February of this. Since that date he had been running the service for South West land Transport. He could not have run for Searle after February, because the trucks had been seized. Searle stated that he had at present no trucks. Dr. Gibbs said that there were three objections to the application. Adequate fees had not been paid in advance, application was incomplete and made on the wrong form, and applicant had no lorry, nor evidence that he was in a financial position to purchase a truck. Searle said he was hoping to get the whitebait carting for three or four months. Dr Gibbs (after repeating his previous statement): Will you agree to withdraw the application? Searle: No, you’d better deal, with it.

Dr. Gibbs; Application dismissed. An application was made for a transfer of Searle’s license to C. J. Hende. Appearing as attorney for Searle, Rowley asked for the withdrawal of the application. A further application was received for transfer of the license from Hende to South Westland Transport Ltd., but was dismissed, as Hende held.no license 'to be transferred. . F. W. Huffam (Mr A. H. Paterson). one vehicle authority. Reef ton to Waiuta, for cartage of beer. Fo:i’ J. O. Byrne., an objector. Mr A. M. Jamieson said his 'objection would only be raised if applicant was picking up goods betrvreen the two places.

Mr E. S. Brittenden said the Railwav Department wished to be heard in this application. For the applicant, Mr Paterson sa: that the beer kept in better condi lion when carried by lorries. There were two handlings involved by th» *oad .journey. Mr Brittenden said his information was the opposite. He had heard that in hot weather, some of the beer h to be dralwn oft when carried by lorries, to avoid bursting the casks. He had never heard of that happening in tire railway. The appi cation was finally granted. J. B. HansGury (Mr J. A. Murdoch), authority Ross-Waibp Gorge building material and livestock. It. was stated that an attempt was being made to co ordinate Hans bury’s Service -with Newman’s Mo tors, and if this could not be don *, the license would be surrendered. — Adjourned ulntil next sitting- appli eant'"to ejarry on in the iiwantime. The Authority 'will sit. again thir morning, when decision wilP.be gi-' cn. after being deferred yess in a number of South We tlaidb ap plications.