Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-07-03
QUESTION RIGHT
Of CITY DEMAND
ON bUSPERM|TS
Public Hearing Last Night on
Ordinance Is Largely
Attended

The authority of the Board of Alder
men to compel bus and jitney drivers
to obtain a municipal license in ad-
dition to their state license was ques-
toned by Senator Thomas Brown,
representing the jitney owners at the
hearing on the bus ordinance in the
city hall last night.
The Senator declared that under the
provisions of Chapter 1876 laws of 1915
of the state the fee paid by bus drivers
to the state must stand In lieu of all
other fees. This provision prevents
the city from charging the drivers for
lincese. the senator asserted.
In the ordinance as first drafted by
Alderman Albert G. Waters of the
Judiciary committee and as passed at
first reading at the last meeting there
are several sections relating to the
licensing by the city of jitney driv-
ers, as distinguished from the licens-
ing of the husses and the owners. 1t
is provided that before obtaining a
municipal license the driver must pass
q general examination showing his
qualifications to operate a public con-
veyance. If the sections relating to
this provision are stricken out the
public will be compelled to fall back
on the state regulations, Mr.. Waters
contended.
Various other sections and pro-
visions which were in legal conflict
with the state statute were also in
dicated by the senator. One of these
relates to the revocation of licenses as
punishment for violations of the law.
While the city ordinance provides that
drivers licenses may be suspended or
revoked by the mayor, recorder, chief
of police of any member of the board
of aldermen until such time as the
board shall act" the senator said that
the state provides that licenses may
be revoked solely by the governing
body and then only after hearing.
That the trainers of the measure
were not without considerable justifi-
cation for their provisions was
brought out when Alderman Waters
read sections of the bus ordinances of
Newark, Elizabeth and Jersey City
which have similar regulations to the
ones proposed here. It also develop
ed that there are suits on in the
Supreme court questioning various of
the points in dispute in Atlantic City,
Asbury Park, Jersey City and New
ark. There was some argument as
to whether the board had the power
to suspend a license before 1t was re-
voked. City Attorney Leo Goldberger
explained to Senator Brown that the
purpose of the fee was not for revenue
but to permit the city to check the
driver.
There appeared to be considerable
among the bus owners
as to the regulation of the number of
busses on a given route. Some con-
tended that there should be drastic
protective measures, while other ar
gued that such measures would shut
out the small operators who had al.
ready invested their money in busses
All appeared to be unanimous in their
desire to shut foreign concerns out.
The 'ibig fellows" and the little fell
lows went to it hot and heavy in the
debate, but came out without any per-
sonal unpleasantries.
Alderman William N. Wilson, who
presided in the absence of Alderman
at-Large Ira r. Grouse, voiced what
appeared to be the sentiment of the
board, when he said that the bus op
orators should be protected for the
service that they were rendering the
public and city.