TAXI CONTROL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 109, 10 May 1943, Page 4

TAXI CONTROL

HEARING APPEALS CONDITIONS IN CITY The hearing of appeals against the Taxicab Control Committee's directions was begun before the Auckland Transport Board, sitting as the Metropolitan Licensing Authority, to-day. All told there were 175 appellants, 120 appealing against the whole nine directions and 55 against five of the directions. The parties interested and their representatives were:—Transport Board (Mr. J. Stanton), Transport Department, Wellington (Mr. A. J. Sinclair), Auckland Taxicab Control Committee (Mr. V. R. Meredith), and Atta Taxicab Company (Mr. I. J. Goldstine). The appellant owner-drivers were represented by either Mr. H. P. Richmond, Mr. G. P. Finlay or Mr. F. Haigh. Mr. Richmond, in opening, said he acted for 24 individual licensees. The main and extremely serious objection which was taken to the directions of the committee was the rostering system. He understood the taxicab business was carried on by some 300 licensees, and the whole business involved a capital of about £250,000. Abnormal Conditions The business had, he believed, always been regarded as an efficient one, but in recent times owing to shortage of benzine and the presence of visiting servicemen, abnormal conditions existed. Licensees, whilst wishing to assist, objected to being placed in a rigid straitjacket. He understood that the mam objection raised was that too much attention was given to city business and not enough to telephone or suburban business. The appellants contended it was unfair to impose upon the taxi system anything that meant a heavy loss in one aspect. He did not know if there were any statistics to show how in any way telephone business had been neglected, but it was hoped to show that the alleged neglect of outside business had not been nearly so great as represented. Right of Freedom "Before the taxi companies are to lose their right of freedom in the managing of their business, the committee should have to produce an overwhelming case," said Mr. Richmond. The rostering of 150 cars would mean the tying up of the whole fleet. The rostering was exceedingly wide and exceedingly loose. It might mean that every cab would be under rigid directions every day. • -To rostering, Mr. Richmond put forward the alternative suggestion that the taxi fleet should be left fluid, with a reserve pool of 30 cars a day to deal with emergency calls and any surplus orders not taken up by the rest of the fleet. It was not expected the 30 cars would pay, but they were prepared to stand any loss, because they would be able to run their business in their own way. It would mean the cutting out of the roster system and the keeping of an unnecessary log book. He suggested that a test be made, and if it were found 30 cars were insufficient, then the number could be increased. After dealing with other aspects of the committee's directions, Mr. Richmond said their enforcement would mean to the appellants increased dead time, mileage, and cost of running. Rostering Uneconomic Thomas Coleman Jary, licensee and owner of one cab, said his evidence would be representative of a group of 24 licensees, who considered the daily rostering of 150 cabs out of the total fleet of 300 was unnecessary, that it was uneconomic and against the public interest, and was an unjustifiable deprivation of the right of individual licensees to conduct their own business. From inquiries he had among licensees and the Checker <and Atta companies he could say with confidence that the directions for rostering 150 cars, with the accompaniment of a schedule of duties and other elaborate directions, was unnecessary. Essential taxi work, such as hospital, maternity, train and shipping service, also suburban telephone coverage, could be handled by a roster of 30 cars • a day. The experience of taxi owners was that the total amount of work to be covered by the reserve fleet would be quite small.

The witness said the intention of the control committee's scheme appeared to be to take away the supply from one section of the people at present receiving the service and give it to a smaller section of people not receiving the service. Licensees knew from, experience this would result in fewer jobs per gallon and a very substantially reduced income to the taxi driver. The control committee's scheme was designed to give priority to suburban hirings, but he v/as certain that the committee's scheme would use up almost all of the petrol supply available to the taxi owners, and the people in the inner areas would be denied service. The hearing is proceeding.