CONTROL OF TAXICARS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21297, 26 September 1932, Page 10

CONTROL OF TAXICARS

PROPOSED ALTERATION TRANSPORT BOARD ATTITUDE INITIATIVE NOT TO BE TAKEN No legislation is to bo sought by the Iransport Board during the present session of Parliament to bring tho activities of taxicabs under tho control of the board, as has been suggested. Tho chairman, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, said on Saturday, that "while tho board was "willing to accept tho responsibility of licensing and controlling taxicabs in tho metropolitan area, it was not intended to take any steps in tho matter.

"While there may havo been some misunderstanding among members of the public, tho board's position is quito clear," said Mr. Allum. "A number of taxicnb drivers approached tho board to discuss tho matter some timo ago. Thero appears to bo a desire among owners and drivers for tho operations of cabs to bo controlled by the board, while thero has been dissatisfaction throughout the Dominion on tho, part of local bodies regarding the present conditions. The board has stated that it is prepared to assume tho functions of a controlling authority, but wo do not want to usurp tho powers of any other local bodies and will not initiate any steps." Tho operations of taxidrivcrs wero at present controlled by local authorities in tho different areas, said Mr. Allum, and many bodies were not satisfied with tho px-esent regulations. Thero was no power to restrict the number of licences issued, and any applicant of good character must be. granted one. A weakness was that if an applicant were not granted a licenco by one authority he might obtain one from an adjacent borough council. Local bodies at present had the power to fix a maximum fare, but not to control minimum fares, and this was a further cause for complaint. Tho Transport Board at present had a certain degree of control, and issued licences to cabs plying on a definite route or running at separate fares, as was the case of some vehicles taking passengers to races. Cabs charging individual fares obtained a temporary authority for each race meeting or other occasion when permission was required.

If any alteration in the position was brought about, he concluded, it was likely that the change in control would be made by bringing the vehicles under the provisions of the Transport Licensing Act, 1931, which would give the licensing authorities in each disti-ict the same control as they enjoyed over buses and other commercial passenger vehicles. It was certain that if a change were made, it would be on a Dominion-wide basis, and not in relation to Auckland alone. What bodies would be responsible for requesting amending legislation, ho could not definitely say, but it was likely that any alteration would bo duo to efforts by local authorities.