Page:Municipal Handbook of Auckland 1922.djvu/214



The Traffic Department has been established primarily for the due performance and efficient control of the duties entailed by the provisions contained in the City By-laws, "The Motor Regulation Act, 1908," "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1920," "The Dogs Registration Act, 1908," and "Light on Vehicles Act, 1915."

While the organisation of the Department dates from about 1894, its inception may be said to date from 1878. In this year it was controlled by the Sanitary Inspector, who embraced it as a part of his Department. In 1894, Council realised the necessity of creating a Traffic Department to deal with the control of traffic and the issuing of licenses. A Chief Inspector was appointed and a separate Department established. Since that time the importance of the Department has greatly increased, owing to the advent of motor transit, which is large for a city of the population and size of Auckland, and to the extension of the boundaries of the City.

The Department's ramifications include the general control of traffic, registration of motor vehicles, bicycles and dogs, and the issuing and control of the following licenses:—Taxi and omnibus, heavy traffic (motor and horse vehicles), horse carriages, drivers (motor and horse), conductors, street stalls, hawkers,