TRANSPORT MERGER

Grey River Argus, 2 August 1940, Page 9

TRANSPORT MERGER

IN NELSON CITY. NELSON, August 1. Taxi drivers and town carriers in Nelson will form themselves into two companies, in terms of a decision of the Transport Licensing Authority No. 3 (Mr T. H. Langford), issued yesterday. The mergers were arranged recently, and are part of the effort being made by the Transport Department to conserve oil fuel. The licences affected in the town carriers’ decision are W. E. Gill, A. J. Bennett, P. W. Stewart, S. G. Thompson, Cooksey and Company, Grant Bros, and Company, and H. J. Brough. The authority's decision requires that the services at present operated by these licensees shall be merged into one company on a basis to be agreed on by the parties concerned and approved by the Licensing Authority. The merger shall be as from September 1, 1940, for the tion of the war and for 12 months thereafter.. The licences can then be reviewed on request, and determined in the light of the circumstances then prevailing. The licences affected by the taxi merger are those held by Nelson Taxis, Ltd., J'. W. Silke, J. F. P. Stone, H. D. McKenzie, L .C. Styles, and W. E. Rennison. The decision requires that on a basis .of valuation recommended by the authority the services at present operated shall be merged into one company, to be known as Nelson Taxis, Ltd., an extension of the present company. One of the owner-drivers is to be appointed to the directorate of the company, and owner-drivers are to be given preferential treatment in the matter of employment.

The merger wjll be as from September 1, 1940, for the duration of the war and for 12 months thereafter. The licences can then be reviewed on request and determined in the light of the circumstances then prevailing.