AIR TRANSPORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21868, 2 August 1934, Page 11

AIR TRANSPORT

LICENSING SCHEME ALL. COMMERCIAL SERVICES CONDITIONS OF OPERATION BOARD TO GRANT PERMITS [BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Wednesday Commercial aircraft services operating in New Zealand will require to bo licensed, according to the principal provision in the Transport Licensing (Commercial Aircraft Services) Bill, which was introduced by GovernorGeneral's Message and read a first time in the House of Representatives this evening. The bill provides that the Transport Co-ordination Board shall grant licences, but authority for granting temporary licences in case of urgency is given to the chairman or any other member of the board or to any person duly authorised by the board. Any commercial aircraft service being carried on immediately before the passing of the bill may continue to carry on for a period of 28 days. If an application for a licence is made within that period, the service may be carried on until the application is disposed of. If that requirement is not complied with, a fine of £IOO and a further fine of £lO for every day tho offence continues is provided for if tho aircraft service so offending is carried on. It will also be an offence for an agent to book passengers or goods for an unlicensed service. This offence mav incur a fine of £so'. Public Sittings o 1 Board Several clauses define the procedure for making application for licences. These are to be forwarded to the Commissioner of Transport, to bo placed before the board, which is required to advertise the receipt of applications and to hold public sittings for the hearing of evidence. In considering any application, the board shall generally have regard to (a) the extent to which the proposed service is necessary or desirable in tho public interest; (b) the needs of New Zealand or the district or districts as a whole proposed to be served in relation to transport, M-hether by land, air or water; (e) the possible value to New Zealand of the proposed service and the aircraft and ground organisation thereof for auxiliary defence purposes, or in the case of national or local emergency. If the board is then of tho opinion that the proposed service is unnecessary or undesirable, it shall refuse to grant a licence. If, having regard to these points, the board proposes to give further consideration to the application, it shall take the following matters into account: — Time-tables and Pares The financial ability of the applicant to carry on the proposed service and the likelihood of his carrying it on satisfactorily; time-tables or frequency of, the proposed service; the proposed fares and charges for the carriage of passengers and goods: transport services of any kind, whether by land, air, or water already provided - in respect of the localities to be served and in respect of the proposed routes; transport requirements of such localities, including such requirements in respect of the carriage of mails; tho .aircraft proposed to be used; tho and suitability of the aerodromes proposed to be used and the facilities at the aerodromes for services of the type in respect of which the application is made; any evidence and representations received by it at a public sitting and any representations otherwise made by the Railways Board, local- authorities or other public bodies, or any persons carding on transport services of any kind likely to be affected, or any officer of the defence forces appointed by the Minister of Defence in that behalf, and any representations contained in any petition signed .by not fewer than 25 adult residents of any locality proposed to be served. After considering these various points, the board may grant or refuse a licence. Every licence shall be (a) a temporary licence, which means a licence for a service to be carried on for a specified period of not more than seven days or for any specified special occasion or occasions; (b) a continuous licence, meaning a licence other than temporary licence. Conditions of Licence In granting a licence, the board may prescribe (a) the class and number of aircraft to be used and the seating or other accommodation for passengers; (b) the class and quantity or weight of any goods that may be carried; (c) the date not later than which the service shall be commenced; <d) the localities to be ; served; (e) the frequency of the service; (f) the fares to be charged for passengers and charges to be made for goods; (g) such other matters and conditions that may be prescribed by regulations or as the board thinks proper. Instead of prescribing particular localities to be served, the board may grant a licence to authorise the carrying on of a service generally throughout New Zealand, subject to such s])ecial conditions as it thinks proper to impose. However, the board may at any time restrict the effect of a licence an it thinks fit. Before granting a licence the board may call upon an applicant to furnish proof that his liability in respect of death or accident to passengers and in respect of loss of or damage to goods is covered by insurance, or otherwise to such an extent as the board deems reasonable. It, Bhall be a condition of every licence that the licensee shall not abandon or curtail the authorised service without the consent of the board. If he does so, the board may in its discretion revoke his licence and disqualify him for such period as it thinks fit from obtaining another licence. He may also be fined.

Register To Be Kept The Commissioner of Transport is required to keep a register of licences. Every licence shall be deemed to expire on the completion of five years. If so directed by. the Minister of Transport, the board shall hold a public inquiry whether any service is being carried on in conformity with the terms of the licence. If the board is satisfied that, the terms have not been observed, or that the licensee has disposed of his service to another person, the board may revoke the licence. Power is also given to the board, without holding such an inquiry, to suspend any licence if it is satisfied that the licensee has wilfully committed a breach of any of the conditions. The board may grant a transfer of a licence, but must first be satisfied that the proposed transferee is financially able to carry 011 the service. Accounts are to be kept and returns are to be made by all licensees. Wide powers for the making of regulations for various purposes are given to tho Governor-General-in-Council. Nothing in section 18 of the Police Offences Act, 1927, shall operate to make the carrying-on on Sundays of an aircraft service pursuant to a licence under the proposed Act an offence under that section.

The final clause states ,that the proposed Act shall bind the Crown.