ONE CONTROL OF TAXI CABS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 285, 1 December 1932, Page 23

ONE CONTROL OF TAXI CABS.

Having had 25 years' experience in the London metropolitan police, and 7* years in the Dominion, of traffic control in all its phases, 1 was amazed at the suggestion that the Auckland City Council should control the telephone service of all taxi cabs. The scheme is contrary to all business principles and would rob the individual driver of his freedom. Cab ranks should be established for the common use of all drivers with a limited number to each rank and a telephone for the convenience of the public should be installed by. the postal authorities at a nominal cost. Hanks for thp use of any particular company should be abolished as they create unfair competition. Regulations are absolutely necessary to ensure the proper conduct of drivers using the rank, and an officer should be detailed for cab-rank duty to see that the regulations are duly | observed. The first thing necessary is universal law governing all hackney carriages and their drivers; as the law stands to-day, each local body has the power under the Municipal Corporations Act to make by-laws for this class of vehicle and their drivers, consequently if the suggestion is adopted by the Auckland City Council they will have bo jurisdiction over the telephones outside their area. Thie in itself reduces the scheme to a farce. Many local bodies have neglected to make by-lawe governing public carriages, and with the exception of the licensing of the drivers in accordance with the motor vehicles regulations, rafferty rule prevails. It is absolutely imperative that legislation should bo made to bring this class of vehicle and their drivers under one control, which should be responsible for the fitness of cabs and general conduct of drivers and keep a record of all previous convictions. For this purpose I would suggest that the police should establish a public carriage branch, and take, full control qf hackney carriages arid their drivers, for obvious reasons. The Minister of Justice and the Commissioner of Police coujd be empowered to make regulations governing fees, fares, ranks and the conduct of owners and drivers. The fees thus obtained would provide the salaries for the augmentation of the force, which is a vital factor in any emergency that may occur, without additional cost to tho ratepayer. This course has been adopted in all other countries, including England and Australia. H. BRANSGROVE.