LICENSING VEHICLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19564, 17 February 1927, Page 10

LICENSING VEHICLES.

ADVISORY BODY SET UP. OUTCOME OF CONFERENCE. SUPPORT FOR TRANSPORT BOARD A meeting of local body representatives in No. 2 heavy traffic district was held at the Chamber of Commerce yesterday and decided to form an advisory committee to consult with the licensing authority (the Auckland City Council) upon matters of moment to the local bodies. Mr. L. E. Rhodes, Mayor of Mount Albert, presided, and there were also present: Mr. P. Wright, Avondale Borough Council; Mr. S, W. House, Manukau County Council; Mr. E. G. Skeates, Mayor of Birkenhead; Mr. S. Haffnlin, Mount Wellington Road Board; Mr. E. Aldridge, Devonpoi't Borough Council; Mr. A. S. Belcher, Mount Roskill Road Board; Mr. A. C. A. Sexton, chairman of the Manurewa Town Board; Mr. B. Brigham, Mount Albert Borough Council; Mr. S. Donaldson, Mayor of Newmarket; Mr. G. Arrowsmith, Tuakau Town Board; Messrs. J. M. Melville and A. M. Bryden, Mount Eden Borough Council; Mr. A. Hewson, chairman of the Ellerslie Town Board; and Mr. W. N. Mcintosh, Onehunga Borough Council. The proposal was outlined by Mr. Melville in the following motion "That this meeting of local body representatives of No, 2 heavy traffic district agrees that the formation of an elected transport board is a necessity in order to deal satisfactorily with transport questions of all kinds within the area; that this board should control all traffic, with the right to acquire services and, where necessary, purchase ; that the local bodies, present agree to forward to the Prime Minister a request that the Act be amended so as to provide for an elected transport board representative of all the districts included in No. 2 heavy traffic district, and also ask their respective representatives in Parliament to support and forward this proposal; that until the Act is amended it is desirable that an advisory committee be formed to make representations to the licensing authority; that this committee consist of 'one representative from each local body." Mr, Melville said the proposals were put forward in the belief that a good deal of dissatisfaction existed with regard to the licensing of vehicles and particularly to the constitution -'of the licensing authority. It was thought that a transport board would act more satisfactorily to all concerned than the City Council could possibly do. Mr. Sexton expressed the opinion that it would be unreasonable to allow a trans- , port board to take over the tramway system now administered by the City Council. No board would have the same interest in the system that the City Council had. He thought that trouble would bo encountered immediately if the meeting ' insisted on retaining the purchase clause in the motion. Mr. Donaldson pointed out that this was the first time the question of acquiring the tramway system had been brought up at a local body conference. He did not feel he would be justified in supporting the motion in its present form. Mr. Arrowsmith said he would be in favour of the motion but for the clause in question. That was a' matter that should be left for private enterprise. All that the local bodies needed was better control of licences. The chairman agreed with those who had spoken and said he could not support the motion ill its present form. , Mr. Skeates said the North Shoi'e was in a different position from the other local bodies ancl was eager to obtain a licensing authority of itfe own. The various clauses of the motion were put to the meeting one by one and carried -with the exception of the clause respecting purchase. This was lost on the vote of the chairman, eight voting for it and. eight against. It was decided to ask all the local bodies in tho district to appoint' their representatives to act on the advisorv board.