HACKNEY CARRIAGES AND THE NEW TAXATION.
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IN 1,TIEW--of the trouble which has been caused by parties af passengers travelling in daaxs-a-bancs
or other motor vehicles, it has become apparent that, without any new restrictions being necessarily imposed, it is highly desirable that all such vehicles should be under a measure of control by ,a, central or local authority, preferably the latter.
Under present circumstances the local authority has power to refuse a licence for a vehicle to stand or ply for hire. The regulations in the future will„ no doubt, provide for an appeal by the vehicle owner against the decision of the local authority, but, if the grounds for refusing a licence were that the use of the vehicles eaused a nuisance to the public, such an appeal would almost undoubtedly fail.
Under the old schome of taxation, there was every inducement to the owner of a vehicle of the char-à bancs class to register it as a hackney carriage. By an doing, he obtained the right to take up pas,sen, gem on public ground and to sell seats singly. He, also paid a duty very much lower than that applied to a private motorcar of equal horse power, and, in addition, he became entitled to a rebate OD. the petrol duty. In return, be placed himself to some extent under the control of the local authority, who could attach reasonable conditions to the granting of
licences, and could refuse licences in respect of vehicles not mechanicallysound or properly appointed.
It must be generally agreed that, if every vehicle carrying large parties were necessarily to be licensed as a hackney carriage, and if it followed that the withdrawalof the licence meant that the vehicle would not he allowed upon the roads, We should very soon get over the present difficulty. Proprietors would take the greatest care te see that the parties carried in their vehicies behaved themselves properly, and that the vehicles did not become a public 3324 nuisance by being taken over roads altogether unfitted for them.
On the other hand-, the difficulty of doing away with any similar abuse, should it arise in connection with privately owned motor vehicles, would be far greater. The local authority cannot insist, for instance, tha,l a man shall ,not take intoxicants along with him in his private car, and this applies whether the car is his own property or is hired for a period. Now, the new system of taxation, and the arrangements connected with it, are unfortunately not calculated to induce, or compel, proprietors of vehicles of the char-a-banes class to register these as hackney carriages. Neither is the local authority given any inducement to take the responsibilities following upon such registration. Hitherto the proceeds of the hackney carriage licences have gene to the local authority. Under the new scheme a lump sum will_ be paid to the local authorities, but each authority will get its share irrespective of the exact number of vehicles licensed in the district.
It is conceivable, therefore, that the local authority might issue as few licences as possible, merely for the purpose of reducing its own responsi• bility, and having regard to the .fact that if would lose, no money by so doing. The proprietor of a, eliar-hebane type of vehicle, at the same time, if he can manage to work up a business without his, vehicles standing or plying for hire, might actually get off cheaper by registering them as private motorcars.
The char-a-basics for 30 passengers would not, as a rule, have an engine c)f more than 40 h.p. As a hackney carriage,it has to pay 260 in country districts and k72 in large urban districts. As a private car, it would pay only £40. Similarly, the smaller vehicle carrying 20 persons, and having an engine of 30 h.p., has to pay, as a, hackney carriage, from £36 to £45. As a motorcar, it would only pay .230. With the abolition of the petrol tax, any differentiation in respect of fuel costs would cease.
It follows that if the owner of such vehicles can work up a business by letting these machines whole to private parties, he will not only get rid of the supervision of the local authority, but may quite probably pA,.y less in taxation. He is, therefore, encouraged by the new scheme to adopt the very course which we know to be conducive to trouble, by reason of the bad behaviour of travellers.
Under the new scheme, if we take the example of a 40 h.p. vehicle intended to carry about four tons, but capable of being converted to carry 30 passengers, we see that if it is used for goods alone, it has to pay £28 or 230 a year. If it is used as a haaney carriage, it must pay 260 or £72 a year. If it is classified as a private motorcar it must pay £40 a year. If the proprietor sees an opportunity of making profit by letting the vehicle to parties on Sundays and holidays, lie can apparently do so by registering as a private car, m which case parties using his vehicles can misbehave themselves as much as they like, provided that they do not actually break the law in the presence of witnesses, who will take the trouble to follow the matter up. • It seems to us most desirable that it should be definitely laid down that any vehicle exceeding two tons in weight 'Mist be registered either as a trade vehicle or as a.ha.ckney carriage, and must; if registered as a trade vehicle, be used forno other purpose than the carriage of goods in the course of trade. By paying the higher taxation for registration as a, hackney vehicle, thc privilege would be secured of u sing the vehicle either as a hackney carriage or for the conveyance of goods. There should be no possibility of evading the spirit of the law by registering as a private motorcar. The matter appears to be not unimportant in the interests of the general public, and ultimately, also in the interests of genuine motor coach proprietors, who must not be penalized by unfair competition from those who can, by fitting their vehicles up. roughly to carry passengers, and giving wide facilities for the carriage of intoxicants, easily cut into the legitimate trade on Sundays and holidays, Which are, after all, the days on which the motor coach trade is chiefly dependent for its profits.