TRANSPORT ACT

Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1939, Page 4

TRANSPORT ACT

LICENSING AUTHORITY AT HOKIJTKA.

The relieving No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority, Mr V. Raines, held, a nublie sitting of the authority in the Magistrate’s Court at Hokitika at 2 p.m. yesterday. : ■ ; Mr W. Rodgers, district traffic manager for the Railway's Department at Christchurch, represented the’ Department and Mr J. Eadie (secretary) and Mr 1). Taylor the Westland Transport Alliance Association.

The following applications were dealt witlur— : ■■ d /■

G, J. Thomson, Wataroa, new goods, service license.—Decision reserved.

Gold , Band . Taxis, Hokitika, “ town passenger service.—Granted. 1 . Same, new passenger service license, contract trips operating from Hokitika.—Declined. V .

An, objection was raised by the railways'road services department,’ which contended that they had the vehicles and: necessary licenses to cater for-any such traffic offering. "•’ • Mr; R. P. Chibnall. who appeared in support of the application,, said the Gold Band Taxis had an adequate business which had never been held by the railways and did not belong to the railways. It had been primarily built up through the enterprise and .personality of Mr Shannon-, the local manager. of Gold Band, and was ; extremely unlikely to leave him so long ns he operated Gold Band Taxis. Mr Chibnall drew attention to theb fact! that temporary licenses had been ' granted applicant previously for such work.

In refusing the application the authority said that the applicant was unfortunately located since, in his opinion, the .licensed passenger;services were adequate and the vehicles were available to cope with the .work': offering. The fact that temporary li<jen- * ses had been granted for these trips pn, previous occasions did not influence him at all. One of the authority’s duties was to protect those old-estab-lished services already licensed.' For these reasons the application must be declined. ' • . \.. )

Mr Chibnall gave the authority; notice of his intention to appeal against the decision. V ~ **;

' Decision was reserved in a review f of the license of H. le Compte, Bruce Bay, as to whether. the operator jyas carrying out the terms of his, license. Mr Taylor, for the Westland Transport Alliance Association: said it wtts stated that le Compte was oppdsed to the body and had refused to join. -.; A condition of a renewal of his last license in June' was that he joiilTthe Association,. but this le Compte. had not so far done. He had been a source of trouble to the Association; and-other operators and had ; made no attempt to co-operate. He was one who. the Association and the authority.;.-He was engaged on Public. Works jobs at Bruce Bay and was earning‘ £7 : a day as compared with; other operators and £5/10. This lie could only .tip through "overloading " speeding, wliich was a breach of his license.- The engineers on the • job considered that le Compte was making too much - had therefore reduced contract prices, , thus penalising other ' operators who had been conforming with their jicehses. Mr Taylor that some action be taken since, unless action was undertaken, other operators would bo justified in adopting similar tactics to those of le Compte; ’ AThe authority said it was difficult! for him to decide since, the applicant was not present and he proposed to reserve his decision and consult the standing authority, Mr T. H. Langfords -• '’ • v-v

Mr Raines also advised Mr Eadie to approach the Commissioner of Transport with regard to the . engineer’s methods of employing operators ill view of the schedule which had been agreed upon by the Transport, and Public Works Departments,:.; -'.A,