FREE TAXI RIDES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 162, 11 July 1930, Page 5

FREE TAXI RIDES.

SCHEME FOUND ILLEGAL "NOT A SERIOUS OFFENCE." THREE MEN TO PAY COSTS. "This is a very.trivial offence and not deserving of punishment," said Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police Court this morning in convicting and ordering William Murray, Theodore Raymond LeAvis and Frank Harvey to pay costs. The three men, all of whom were connected with the Chess Taxi-cab Company, were charged that on June 20 they did commence a lottery by false pretences, by which free rides in taxi cabs were gained by a mode of chance —a device consisting of arrows painted on the wheels of the cabs and dots on the mudguards. Chief Detective Hammond said that Lewis was the manager of the company. In order to obtain extra business, they had propounded a scheme which the police considered was a lottery. A white aiTOW was painted on the wheel, and ,a dot on the mudguard. If, after the ride was finished and the car stopped, the arrow pointed to the dot, the passenger was not charged for the ride. A detective had taken two/rides in Chess cabs but each time he was charged, and both drivers had admitted that they had never been caught for a free ride. The company had, however, admitted that the innovation had. increased their business. Mr. Hunt: It is the same as going into a shop at a certain time and getting a pound of tea or something like that. "The public did not have to exercise any skill or ingenuity," said Mr. W. E. P. Moody, who appeared for defendants. The object was purely an advertising one to popularise the cabs. Counsel maintained that when a man called a taxi he intended to pay. He did not call one in order to get a free ride. The public were not invited to participate. Chief Detective Hammond: Yes they were. The scheme was advertised in the newspapers. I am of. opinion that it is a lottery, but it is not serious. Defendants must, however, discontinue the practice. ,