TAXI WAR.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19853, 14 February 1930, Page 8

TAXI WAR.

DEVELOPMENTS IN AUCKLAND. [THS PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, February 13. _ ,A development of the "taxi war" in Auckland is threatened by a proposal at present under consideration involving a further reduotion of faros by one of the leading taxi-cab companies. Fares at present vary from 2s to 2s 6d for five miles. fear of keener competition threatening the profitable existence of several of this organisations in the taxi business in. Auckland has had the effect of bringing representatives of the companies together in an endeavour to arrive at a working arrangement on a basis of parity in fares. It is understood that consultations were commenced to-day between the three largest companies, namely. Checker, Chess, and JBlack and White,, which together operate 170 cabs, and that a proposal was discussed to brin<? about an increase in fares to at least 3s for the first five, miles. An attempt is also being made to obtain the consent of all three companies to a limitation in the size of their fleets, the argument used being that the saturation point has been reached as far as taxis are concerned in Auckland, and that to put more cab 1 ? on the streets will endanger the stabilitv of all the companies and imperil the livelihood of a great many paid drivers and owner-drivers.