TAXICAB FARES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21640, 4 November 1933, Page 13

TAXICAB FARES

PROVISION FOR FIXING

BOROUGH COUNCIL'S POWERS

AUTHORITY FOR BY-LAWS

[BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Friday

Power to make by-laws fixing the maximum and minimum fares for pas-senger-carrying vehicles is given to borough councils by an important newclause in the Municipal Corporations Bill, which was introduced into the House of Representatives to-day and referred to the Local Bills Committee. One of the important clauses of the bill introduced last session was a provision authorising borough councils to make by-laws limiting the number of taxi-drivers' licences that might be issued and regulating the daily hours of work of taxi-drivers. Since the bill was under consideration, further representations have been made to the Government, which believes that, if the matter is to be controlled effectively, borough councils should also have the power to fix minimum and maximum fares for taxis.

Accordingly, the bill as reintroduced empowers a council to make by-laws licensing and regulating vehicles plying for hire for the carriage of goods, and (1) limiting the number of licences; (2) appointing stands for the use of such vehicles and limiting the use of any such stand to particular gersops or any particular class or classes of licensed vehicles; (3) fixing minimum and maximum fares for the use of any vehicles licensed for the carriage of passengers; (4) regulating the daily hours of work of drivers of licensed vehicles.

The power to make by-laws regulating, controlling or prohibiting vehicular traffic, and licensing and controlling vehicles, is subject to the provisions of any Act dealing specially with any particular kind of traffic or any particular kind or kinds of vehicles. TOMATO GROWING REGISTRATION OF GARDENS PROPOSED SCALE OF FEES [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Friday Provision for the registration of commercial tomato-growers is contained iu the Tomato Gardens Registration Bill, which was introduced and read a first time in the House of Representatives today. The bill also authorised the imposition of a fee for registration to provide moneys for the development of the tomato-growing industry. The bill defines a tomato garden as any land, whether within a glasshouse or not, used for the growing of tomato plants and the production of tomatoes lor commercial purposes. Two or more tomato gardens occupied and used by the same occupier shall be deemed to be one. Gardens in which there are more thai; 260 plants on January 1 in any year are required to be registered annually.

The fees payable on registrat\pn are as follows: —Tomato gardens of which no part is within a glasshouse and where the number of plants does not exceed 2500, ss; where the number exceeds 2500 but not 7000, 10s; where the num-

her exceeds 7000. £l. Gardens entirely within a , glasshouse or glasshouses where the area- does not exceed 500 square feet, ss; where the area exceeds 500 square feet but not 1500 square feet, 10s; where the area exceeds 1500 square feet, £l. Gardens partly within a glasshouse or glasshouses where the area of the glasshouse or glasshouses does not exceed 500 square feet and the total number of plants does not exceed 2500, 10s; where the area of the glasshouse or glasshouses exceeds 500 square feet or the total number of tomato plants exceeds 2500, but such area does not exceed 1500 square feet and such total does not exceed 7000, 15s; where the area of the glasshouse or glasshouses exceeds 1500 square feet or the total number of plants exceeds 7000, £1 ss.

All moneys received by way of registration fees are to be paid into the Consolidated Fund and after deducting the expenses of collection, the balance of tho fee is to be paid to the Dominion council of the Tomato Soft Fruit and Produce Growers, Limited, to be expended by the council for such purposes in the furtherance of the interests of tomato-growers as the Minister of Agriculture may approve. The bill confers authority to make regulations for the registration of tomato gardens and as to the form of accounts to be kept by the council in respect of moneys paid to it under the Act.