CASUAL BUSES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 641, 18 April 1929, Page 6

CASUAL BUSES

NORTH SHORE DECISION APPEAL TO BE LODGED “The accepting of money from a trading concern to heip it to get a legal decision to eliminate its competitors would place this licensing authority in an invidious position/* declared Mr. T. Walsh last evening, when a letter was received by the No. 2 Omnibus Licensing Authority from the Auckland Transport Board offering to pay half the cost of taking to the Supreme Court an appeal against a decision of Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., that jouses running casual trips to races did not come within the jurisdiction of the licensing authority. The Transport Board made an alternative offer to take over the appeal and carry It on. Mr. E. Aldridge, chairman of the licensing authority, reported that he had a conference with Mr. J. A. C. Allum, chairman of the Transport Board, and did not quite grasp the latter part of the offer. It did not come up at the discussion that had been held. Mr. Walsh: They are matters for the Legislature. We have to administer the law placed under our special control. We are not here to legislate. Mr. Aldridge: The Transport Board is concerned, and I cannot see that there is anything wrong in accepting its help in carrying the matter to flnaiity. Mr. Walsh: If we want to he foolish and go on with an appeal, that is for the authority to decide; but it would humiliate the whole of the North Shore to take the money or help offered. After some discussion on the question of the morality of the offer, and the exact position of the Transport Board, Mr. Aldridge moved that an appeal he lodged against the magistrate’s decision. Mr. Walsh was the only dissenting vote. Mr. Aldridge then suggested that he be empowered to consult the solicitor on the legality or otherwise of the point raised by Mr. Walsh, who again objected that it was a matter of morality, and not of law. A decision of the authority itself is to be appealed against before a sitting of the Transport Appeal Board on May 3. It relates to the granting of service licence to Messrs. Lynch and Halliday to run to Albany from Birkenhead. Mr. R. Ingham, who applied for the licence, and was refused, is making the appeal.