Taxi Driver and His Petrol

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 95, 22 April 1941, Page 7

Taxi Driver and His Petrol

HEAVY FINES FOR OVERDRAWING LICENSE Fines totalling £2OO were imposed on Frederick Mills McMillan, taxi-driver, of Palmerston North, in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, on live charges of breaches of tho Oil Fuel Regulations. Tho prosecution showel that he drew from a private pump during November, December, January, February and March, 823 gallons ot petrol more than he was allowed by his license. Detective-Sergeant A. B. Meiklejohn said defendant ran three taxis and was supplied direct to a private pump which was kept full. However, McMillan was restricted in his draw-oil by. a license and the quantities used in excess of that license were as follows: —November 146 gallons, December 163, January 136, February 80 and March 298 gallons. Last year defendant had faced two similar charges and had been lined £lO on each.

Mr. G. E. Rowe, appearing for defendant, said McMillan could offer no excuse but he had suffered a definite hardship in that the benzine allowed by his license was much too little. To comply with it would mean that his business would be seriously affected. The fact that McMillan had had to use more petrol showed that the license was too meagre. Twice he had gone to Wellington to see the officials' and an officer had been sent up on a special visit to investigate defendant’s position with the result hat the license was likely to be increased. Counsel pointed out that defendant had been under big temptation because of the demand upon his taxi service. He employed six of a staff, paying £3O a ween in wage.} which would still have to be paid even if he was forced for want of benzine to lay his cars up for a while. He had endeavoured to conserve petrol. Mr. Lawry: llow can you tell me that when his overdraw for March was the biggest of them all? Air. Rowe: He did try to conserve benzine. He put a coal burner on ono car but had to take it off because it ruined the engine. His Worship stated that if the Cour: were to accept the explanation, it would be open to every lawbreaker to do the same thing. The petrol restrictions had been imposed for a special purpose and must be observed. AicAiilian was before the Court in September last on two similar charges for tho months of July (121 gallons overdrawn) and August (87 gallons overdrawn) and had been lined £I(J on each but it seemed that had not been a sufficient, deterren; Mr. Lawry added that he could only treat the present cases as deliberate breaches of the regulations on the first four (months of November, December, January and February), must line defendant £25 on each. The breach in March, however, was much worse. McMillan had been interviewed about overdrawing and must have known prosecutions were pending. Despite that he continued not only to overdraw but also to break all previous records in that direction. It was a deliberate flouting of the regulations for which he would be fined £IOO.

When counsel asked for time to pay, Air. Lawry refused, adding that the profits from the extra petrol used exceeded the smaller lines and he was determined to make the fines bigger than the profits. Further, if McMillan came before the Court again, the other penalties provided by the regulations would have to be brought inti operation.