PRIVATE CARS AND PAYING PASSENGERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 17 April 1939, Page 6

PRIVATE CARS AND PAYING PASSENGERS

THE LAW BEING BROKEN ADVERTISEMENTS OF THIS i NATURE NOT ACCEPTABLE Readers of “The Mail” will have noticed, especially prior to holiday periods, numerous advertisements regarding travel by private cars such as: "Wanted seat in car to Christchurch.* or “Two seats vacant in car leaving for Greymouth on . . . ." Dates are usually inserted. The advertisers obviously expect to make or receive payment, or perhaps an arrangement is intended to share the cost of petrol and oil. It has been pointed out to us that the owners of cars conveying passengers in this way are breaking the law unless they are licensed to carry on a rassenger service. "Passenger service” means the carriage of passengers for hire o.- reward.

The Transport Licensing Act. 1931, j makes it illegal for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward by motor vehicle except by licensed service. A penalty of £IOO with an additional penalty of £lO per day is provided for the offence. The legislation also provides that it is an offence for any person to act in any capacity as agent for an unlicensed service, and a penalty of £SO is provided for this offence. Moreover, a further liability is involved. In the event of injury to farepaying passengers in any car not fully insured, and an insurance company being required to pay damages, the company is able to take action to reimburse itself for any damages so paid. The fare or petrol-paying passenger is not covered by the ordinary inaurance on a private car not licensed to carry such passengers. For these reasons no fuither advertisements of the nature described will be published.