(1)No hackney carriage shall be used in the district under a contract or purported contract for private hire except at a rate of fares or charges not greater than that fixed by the byelaws or table mentioned in section 66 of this Act, and, when any such hackney carriage is so used, the fare or charge shall be calculated from the point in the district at which the hirer commences his journey.
(2)Any person who knowingly contravenes this section shall be guilty of an offence.
(3)In subsection (1) of this section " contract " means—
(a)a contract made otherwise than while the relevant hackney carriage is plying for hire in the district or waiting at a place in the district which, when the contract is made, is a stand for hackney carriages appointed by the district council under section 63 of this Act and
(b)a contract made, otherwise than with or through the driver of the relevant hackney carriage, while it is so plying or waiting.