TAXI LICENCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23573, 6 February 1940, Page 8

TAXI LICENCES

CITY APPLICATIONS CONCLUSION OF EVIDENCE SINGLE TELEPHONE PLAN After meeting on various dates since November 27, the Auckland Transport Board, sitting as the Metropolitan Licensing Authority, finished hearing evidence last night in .support of applications for various types, of taxicab licences. Decision was reserved in all but one ease, which was deferred for a further hearing. The duty' of licensing taxieabs was assumed by the authority from the City Council following the passing of the Transport Law Amendment Act, 1939. A statement showing how increased costs could be overcome by means of a unified telephone system and without raising fares was presented yesterday morning by Mr. F. Drumm, manager of the Atta Company, in accordance with an undertaking given when the authority last adjourned in December. Savings in Costs Mr. Drumm said that in his investigation he had examined every phase of modern taxi operation. While the economies shown in the three departments he proposed dealing with by no moans comprised the total savings to be derived from a single system, they sufficed to show that the increased costs could- bo absorbed, by internal reorganisation. In his statement Mr. Drumm showed that the actual operating costs of a single telephone system would amount to .£B9IO a year, or £2040 less than the total cost of the two existing systems. Through the elimination of surplus assistant drivers required at present under the competitive system of operation, ho considered a further £7020 could bo saved. A unified system of operation involving shifts for drivers would result in the elimination of much dead mileage and an annual saving of £10,078. Authority Reserves Decisions

In all, £19,738 could bo saved under these headings each year, Mr. Drumm said. In addition there were other avenues not dealt with, but from which lie was confident considerable savings could be achieved.

After Mr. Drumm had given his statement the meeting adjourned until last evening, when he was crossexamined at length by Dr. R. G. McElroy, counsel for the Checker Company. With the evidence completed in the representative cases covering various types of licences, other applications were formally heard and the authority reserved its decision in all cases except one, in which the hearing was deferred. The granting of several public hire licences in addition to the number already in operation under the Auckland City Council was formally opposed by Mr. I. .T. Goldstine, representing the Atta Company, -on the ground that the granting of further licences would be uneconomic.