TO BE REVIEWED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 37, 13 February 1943, Page 3

TO BE REVIEWED

LOCAL TAXI SERVICE

VISIT OF COMMISSIONER

In commenting on the taxi position in Auckland, Mr. Lisle Alderton, chairman of the Auckland Taxicab Control Committee, said yesterday that he agreed generally with the remarks of members of the City Council. However, he believed that the majority of taxi drivers were fulfilling their duty to the public conscientiously under the difficult con-, ditions. The remaining operators, he felt, were showing little or no consideration for the public and were exploiting their licenses to the full. Strong opposition was expressed by Mr. Alderton to several licenses being in the hands of one licensee, and to the farming out of taxis by a licensee who did not operate any of his vehicles. He was also opposed to licensees being employed in other occupations during the day and merely appearing at night or at the week-ends. Mr. Alderton added that members of the public were apparently averse to appearing in connection with prosecutions against licensees, as only four complaints and one letter of commendation were received in response to the committee's invitation to forward complaints. However, there had been a large number of verbal complaints, some of which justified further investigation. The whole question of taxi control would come under review next Tuesday, when the Commissioner of Transport would be in Auckland, said Mr. Alderton. Correct Fares

Many members of the public were ignorant of the legal fares and the conditions under which taxis operated, went on Mr. Alderton. "The correct fare payable in the Auckland area is 1/6 for the first mile and 6d for each half-mile thereafter," said Mr. Alderton. "This covers from one to four passengers. If luggage cannot be conveniently carried inside the cab and is placed on the rack or rear, a charge of 1/ is allowed, but this is not per package. It is for the whole of the luggage carried. "Every licensed cab must carry a meter and the correct fare should be recorded on it." A taxi driver was allowed to double up a fare once only; that is, he could accept two fares from the passengers carried, and the first passenger engaging the cab had to give permission for this to be done. If a cab was on the rank disengaged, and the driver refused to accept a fare, he was liabl% to prosecution. If the matter was reported immediate action would be Private taxis, said Mr. Alderton, had to operate from garages. They were allowed to charge 2/6 for the first mile and 1/3 for each additional mile. They could charge from the time of leaving the garage.