The Sun.
London, England, 1869-07-30 00:00:00

HACKNEY AND STAGE CARRIAGES.

The bill for amending the law relating to hack-
ney and stage carriages . within the Metropolitan
Police district, prepared and brought in by Mr.
Secretary Bruce and Mr. Knatchbull-Iluge:_4sen, has
been printed.

It proposes to enact that one of her Majesty's
Principal S.cretaries of State may from time to
dtne license to ply for hire within the limits of this
act such number of hackney aid stage carriages, of
such description, and to be diAinguished in such
manner, as he may by order prescribe. Any license
n respect of a hackney or stage carriage un ler this
ection may be granted at such price, on such con-
ditions, be in s•ich form, be subject to revision or.
suspension in suet events, and generally be dealt
with in such manner as the said Secretary of State
.nay by order prescrite, subject as follows :

That a hackney or stage, carriage licence shall, if
not revoked or suspended, be in fjrce for one yen-,
mid there shall be paid, in respect thereof to the
acceiver of the Metroplitau Police, to be carried
to the account of the Metropolitan Police Fund,
such sum, in the case of a hackney carriage, not
exceeding £2 25., and in the case of a stage car-
riage, not exceeding £3 35., as the said Secretary
of State may prescribe.

That in any such order provision shall be made
for the transfer of a stage carriage licence to the
widow or to any child of full ago of any parson to
whom a hackney or a stage carriage licence has
been granted who may die during the continuance
of such licence leaving a widow or child of full age,
Ind also for the transfer of a hackney or stage car-
riage licence to the husband of any woman to whom
such licence has been granted, and who marries
during the continuance thereof.

Penalties are also to be imposed on the use of un-
icensed carriages.
_ _

No hackney or stage carriage shall ply for hire
unless under the charge of a driver having a licence
from the Secretary of State. If any hackney or
stage carriage applies for hire in contravention
of this section the person driving the same, and also
the owner of such carriage, unless he proves that
the driver acted without his privity or consent,
shall respectively be liable to a penalty nut ex-
ceeding 40s.

A licence to the driver of a hackney or stage
carriage may be granted at such price, on such
conditions, be in such form, be subject to revoca-
tion or suspension in such events, and generally
be dealt with in such manner as the Secretary of
State may by order prescribe, subject to this pro-
vision, that a licence to a driver of a hackney or
stage carriage shall, if not revoked or suspended,
be in force for one year, and there shall be paid
in rtspect thereof to the Receiver of the Metropoli-
tan Police, to be carried to the account of the AN-
tropolitan Police Fund, such sum not exceeding
os. as the Secretary of State may prescribe.
The Secretary of State may from time to time by
order make regulations for regulating the number
of persons to be carried in any hackney or stage
carriage, and in what manner such number is to be
shown on such carriage, and how such hackney
carriages are to be furnished or fitted.
For fixing the stands of hackney carriages,
and the distances to which they may be com-
pelled to take passengers, and the persons to attend
at such stands.

For fixing the rates of fares, as well for time as
distance, to be paid for hackney carriages, and for
securing the due publication of such fares, provided
that it shall not be made compulsory on the driver
of any hackney carriage to take passengers at a less
fare than the fare payable at the time of the passing
of this Act.

For forming, in the case of hackney carriages, a
table of distances, as evidence for the purpose of any
fare to be charged by distance, by the preparation
of a book, map, or plan, or any combination of a
book, map, or plan.

For securing the safe custody and re-delivery of
any property accidentally left in hackney or stage
carriages and fixing the charges to be paid in respect
thereof, with power to cause such property to be
sold or to be given to the finder in the event of its
not being claimed within a certain time.

In fixing the stands for hackney carriages within
the city of London and the liberties thereof, the con-
sent of the Court of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen
shall be required to any stand appointed by the
Secretary of State.

No hackney carriage shall be compelled to take
any passenger beyond the limits of this act, or a
greater distance Or any Pia drive than abt