TAXI CONDITIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 33, 9 February 1939, Page 10

TAXI CONDITIONS.

In spite of Government inquiries into the axi business, the position of the individual •wner driver in Auckland k juet as bad to-day is ever it was. He has to work about twelve «ours a day all the year round to earn a iving wage. The eooner the Hon. R. Semple omes to Auckland with his running echoes and iis big stick the eooner will the taximen of Sif C - ty d ° Wn to a livin ? in decent *\ n f dlt, ° ns * nd \ ours which are eaf « for himelf and the public he carries. The action in Joycotting the Oroneay on Friday last was !efor* +>, P K- ration - After wai£in ? *™™ )efore the ship arrived, the drivers had to •t back and watch private hire cars, buses ind Government tourist cars drive on the vharf skimming the cream of the work, while hey had to await the gatekeeper's pleasure »n ♦? f eari J ? en,all fare to Q ,,ee " street W,!, t W rJ ef l- Year 3 bofore the Tourist bureau started the taximen were taking isitore on ..ghtwrng trips around Auckland nd tonn to Eoton,a and further afield, and loin* it woU. Every visitor to New Zealand a not a millionaire, and the modern :axi of to-day is quite suitable for the averaae m-t!s"i° P ek ! I w,lv does ** "de in the antijnated buses tlie Government provide*? Let he Tourist Bureau cater for the wealthy riMtow, but why let the do legitimate axi work and exclude the taxis for the''r .enent? What the taxi tadStry fa jfiSl' and need, fa rational control;" when its ondiHnn Se - Sln ° r<ler ifc can ""Prove the low fo L mnienSel - V - X have b een driving O take nnf V " f"' yet > ear X )Ut T e r ,,gh + HCo " SeS tO P a P" ho «* e ear then *5 g<>t a P° lice r *P°* *™? rear, then a driver's licence, then a cab nTTf I"' I T harf liPeme ' a rail «".V «<*£. m tn « t' b tO I>ly t0 the races - I 'have to ro to the transport department for a temporary license. Every sUurb has a dffferen *t of rul« relating to cab stands, the fivemile boundary ,„ move d at every clian-e of ITwve 8 "; 1 the t^- laws «WbS 7o J a l\ ° lnter P let tl'em. I have had my present car a year and a half, and so far uue had n,y taximeter in two positions in the car; thie after taking it to the tramepartment in the first in"fanee. To keep Jf gaol at present the taxi man has to trot between the Town Hall, the Transport Board. he Harbour Board and his local council, taking out briefs and finding out how many by-laws he has broken. ROYAL OAK.