BY-LAW AND SCHEDULES.

By-Law No. 1.

Hackney Carriages and Borough Stage Carriages.

A By-law of the Council of the City of Christchurch, made under "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1867," section 186, and "The Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Act, 1874." In pursuance of the powers conferred upon them by the said Acts, and of all other powers enabling them in this behalf, the Council of the City of Christchurch ordain as follows:

GENERAL.

1. No carriage shall stand or ply for hire within the limits hereinafter prescribed unless and until the same shall be licensed by the Council Provided that if any licensed carriage shall be undergoing repair or otherwise unfit for use the owner thereof may permit to stand or ply for hire in lieu thereof any other carriage which he shall have been permitted by the Town Clerk so to use but for such time only as he shall be so permitted and subject in all respects as if licensed to the provisions of this By-law.

2. Before any license for any carriage shall be granted the owner or one of the owners thereof shall deliver at the office of the Town Clerk an application stating the particulars and pursuant to the form contained in Schedule A to this By-law and signed by such owner and shall also submit the carriage to such inspection as may be required and the license shall not be granted unless the carriage shall appear on inspection to be fit for public use.

3. No person shall act as the driver or conductor of any carriage within the limits hereinafter prescribed unless and until he shall be licensed so to do by the Council.

4. Before any such license shall be granted the applicant shall deliver at the office of the Town Clerk together with certificates of his good character and conduct and if a driver of his ability to drive an application containing the particulars and pursuant to the form contained in Schedule B to this By-law and the license shall not be granted unless the Council shall be satisfied as to such character conduct and ability.

5. Licenses for carriages shall be in the form contained in Schedule C Licenses for drivers or conductors shall be in the form contained in Schedule D. Licenses shall be in force from the date thereof until the 31st day of December next ensuing and may be renewed on application at the Town Clerk’s office not later than the 28th day of December previous to their expiry.

6. Licenses shall be signed by the Town Clerk and numbered in such order as shall be determined by the Council.

7. For every carriage license there shall be paid a fee of £1. For every driver’s or conductor’s license there shall be paid a fee of £1.

8. No carriage license shall include more than one carriage.

9. Before permitting to stand or ply for hire any carriage the owner thereof shall cause the number of such carriage license and as to any Borough stage carriage the number of passengers which the same is licensed to carry to be painted white on a ground of black in figures of not less than two inches in height and of proportionate breadth outside upon the panel or on the plate affixed thereon of each door of such carriage or of any carriage for the time being substituted therefor under clause 1 but upon no other carriage and shall keep such number undefaced legible and conspicuous during all such time as he shall hold such license or permission in respect of such carriage and no longer.

10. Before permitting to stand or ply for hire any carriage the owner thereof shall cause to be printed or painted on a card or plate six inches by three inches in clear legible figures the number of the license of such carriage and the number of the passengers which such carriage is licensed to carry and shall affix the same inside of such carriage in such conspicuous place as shall be approved by the proper officer of the Council appointed for the inspection of carriages together with the table of fares for the time being set forth by the Council and shall keep such card or plate and table of fares so affixed and undefaced legible and conspicuous during all such times as the carriage shall stand or ply for hire.

11. No owner of any carriage shall part with the license thereof without the previous consent of the Council nor without procuring to be entered on such license and registered by the Town Clerk the name of the transferee thereof until which registry such owner shall remain subject as such to all the provisions of this By-law and such transferee permitting such carriage to stand or ply for hire shall be subject to the penalty hereby imposed on any person driving without a license.

12. The Council shall as often as they may deem necessary cause an inspection to be made of all carriages and of the harness and horses used in drawing the same and no owner driver or conductor of any such carriage or any other person shall obstruct such inspection And if at any time any carriage horse or harness shall appear to the Council to be insufficient or unfit for public use the Council may cause notice in writing in the form or to the effect contained in Schedule E of this By-law to be served on the owner of such carriage harness or horse either personally or by delivery at his registered place of abode after which service such owner shall not permit to stand or ply for hire such carriage until the same or the horses or harness used in drawing the same shall be sufficient and fit for public use.

13. The Council may suspend for any period which to them shall seem proper any license held by any owner offending against clause 12 or by any driver knowingly driving any carriage which or the horse or harness used in drawing which shall at the time of his so driving the same be insufficient or unfit for public use.