SHOW TRANSPORT

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 3 February 1913, Page 5

SHOW TRANSPORT

A QUESTION OF LICENSES. PROPOSED RESTRICTION OBJECTRI) TO. The question of transport arrangements for the Maste-rtcn show provoked some discussion at.the meeting of the General Committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association 0 u Saturday last, A letter was read from the Borough Council, stating that a petition from taxi-car drivers and ownejx bad been received,' and a request that no licenses, be granted to outsiders for .show days had been conceded,, on condition tnat the fares charged wore satisfactory to the Council and the A. and P. Association. I Several members of the committee' spoke in opposition to the. proposal-of , the- Borugh Cnneil to limit the number of Jioonml cars. The opinion was expressed , that the number of vehicles should bo increased instead of decreased, otherwise visitors would stay in Carterton instead of Masterton. The following legal opinion on the" -ibiecfc.was received from Messrs Ga.wit.h and Logan, solicitors: "We! are asked to advise as to whether the Masterton Borough Council can enforce their resolution passed, which we understand to be to the effect that they do ; not intend to grant licenses to any outside carrier cr ear owners, for the purpose of plying for hire on ilie show days. We have had no opportunity of perusing the by-law; but assuming that they huyo an enforcable by-law providing a penalty for the plying for hire within the borough without a license, then anyone who should so ply without, a-license, will be .liable to a penalty. Wo would advise adopting the following course: Let those persons, outside Mastertoii, who desire to ply for hire, make" application for a license, offering a bond or security for good behaviour if necessary, and offering to pay the necessary- fee*. ~ If. this is done, we do not think the borough are entitled to.< ■refuse a license without giving a. good and -proper reason touching the respectability or solvency of tho annlica.nt. or the suitability of his vehicle. If tho Council refuses a license to a. proper applicant applying in this way, we would advise him to ply without a license, and plead his application and the Council's refusal in defence before tho Magistrate. The Magis- ' t'-ate mav. under theso circumstances, I diismiss the information, and at any rate we consider that if he imposes' a penalty, it would be merely a no- \ m'msil one." - It was unanimously decided that , the Borough Council be informed. tli«t. the • Association considers that tho limiting -of licensed ' vehihloV to thee , alreadv-in. the town would not "be in i the .best interests of either tho Association or the town. A committee was set up to interview the Borough Council on the subject. It was decided that the Sergeant of PoKce be asked to'control the vehicle traffic in the ave,ni>e. and on the road to the show-ground, as formerly.