PARTIALITY DENIED

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21903, 2 October 1936, Page 15

PARTIALITY DENIED

Council Defends Actions Towards Taxis

ALLEGATIONS BEFORE COMMITTEE

Tentative Agreement Reached by Operators

' Denial of the allegations made against it during the hearing of evidence by the committee enquiring Into the taxi business was made, on behalf of the Christchurch City Council yesterday by the chairman of its traffic committee, Mr T. Milliken, its chief traffic inspector, Mr H. Macintosh, and its solicitor, Mr W. R. Lascelles. The volume of evidence and cross-examination heard by the committee during its sitting In Christchurch was greatly ’ swelled yesterday, and the sitting will continue this morning. ’ A definite- step was made in the immediate solution of the troubles as seen by the committee yesterday, when Mr C. S. Trillo, proprietor of Gold Band Taxis, agreed to pay his drivers ! wages Instead of commission. This wages agreement was made during a short-conference of the committee and representatives of the taxi organisations and owner-drivers in the morning. It was anllounced by. the chairman, Mr B. M. Butler, that all had agreed to wages under a tentative agreement. This morning a committee,. representative of all the organisations, ownerdrivers, the City Council, the Labour Department, and the Taxidrivers’^Union, will meet Under the chairmanship of Mr W. R. Lascelles to try to reach an agreement which .will remain in force until the enquiry committee’s recommendations are given ' effect to by the Government. The enquiry Into the city carrying business was started yesterday with the hearing of one witness, and this will be continued to-day.

AGREEMENT TO PAY WAGES ABOLITION OF SHAKEDRIVING TENTATIVE ARRANGEMENT MADE NUMBERS OF TAXIS IN ; THE CITY iii terms gt fib agreement made by representatives vsL the various parties the drivers taxis will he driving system and pteegd'S tages tm.tu the committee’s recommendations ate known. When the coxximittee resumed yesterday mpfaing Archie Harold Finch. «f the. Blue Star;. organisation, was cross-examined. He was asked by _Mr ft, Goodge if he thought it a fair thing to a man canting good wages at an outside occupation to be allowed by hia association to. come on the stand and earn extra money. fitness replied that there wpa mo Vule ih his association to deal with the matter. r ■.;. V, „ The membership p£ his association was limited to ss. continued witness, and it at present numbered 64. Mr Goodge asked how many private owners wane outside- of the various organisations.

Do you think that would be successful in the city?— No, I favour a straightout 8d a mile. :

jjo the men employed by your organisation likewise approve of 8d a mile?— Absolutely. ' A „ You approve of the suburban stand system?— Yes. •; » ‘ r * , You admit that it means economy m petrol, less mileage in performing the same service, greater cOnveniehce in that the cars are brought nearer to the public requirements, and, lastly, that there is less wear and tear of streets under the system?— Yes. In other words, it means cheaper fares to the public and cheaper maintenance costs to the community and the owners of taxis?— Yes. Do you believe or not that it ip a necessary corollary of the suburban stahd system that these telephones should be available to all users of suburban stands?— Yes, That is, to provide equal opportunity for all users of these stands?—YeS. Telephones have been provided for motor-cab stands in the city from time to time?— Yep. Has the use of these ’phones been abused? —Yes. Bogus calls were put through?— Yes, and messages refused. Drivers are taken away on false call(s7*-Yep. Suggested Solution ; To assist the commission, ans the council, can you suggestuany -system Ho eliminate in. Mb® telephone byfjhsuiwg private lines. \ * :~ Now could an owner-driver whd ns bn his ow n install g telephone?—He could not afford it on his own- He must become a member of an organisation. It is not going to be long before the taki business will improve. It is not going to be any harder, if we can Only hang on a little longer. By getting together as sensible men —and there seemed to be a lack of sensible men In the taxi business—would it bb possible to arrive at some basis of co-operation in regard to the use of telephbhes? asked Mr Lascelles. Witness replied that it should be possible. ' Do you suggest that the public have been misled by certain advertisements? •—-YGSt ’ ■ , * Whose advertisements?— The Gold Band. pp you suggest that your own advertisements nave not sometimes been misleading?—l don’t think they have been. Do you think there is a great call for co-operatioh on an honest, decent basis among the taxi-drivers?— Yes. If the council laid down a system thgt was fair, would you direct all your energies in that direction?— Yes, If the system Was a fair one. To Mr Hayward, of Bink Taxis, witness sgld some of the Blue Star members employed men on wages ahd commission, They Were paid £3 a week gnd commission at the rate of 23 per cent, on all weekly takings of more thgn £B. Blue Star Wages . Witness told Mr Trillo that those members had been paying wages since March. In 1929 men on wages were paid £f a week, and there followed el reduction of 10 per cent. Later they Wore paid £2 a week and 20 per cent, commission on takings of more than & \ a week. , Mr Trillo: At the time some of the Gold Land drivers were receiving sustenance were some owner-drivers mot receiving relief?— Speaking for Blue Star t .Will, say ‘‘no.” Are you sUre of it?— Yes, You talked about men refusing jobs. Does that apply to all drivers?— No. Only to those who came out omy on rate days. . When you took the prosecution against Gold Band TaxiisT at the- station, was that not the start of the rolling of the ball?—No, but it was the start of your boys going out on the r °Finch said he knew Mr Trillo had applied for telephones at the stands in the Square, but the Blue Star telephones were on the suburban stands He would not object to Gold Band telephones being installed at the stands in the Square. . i Mr Trillo: Have any of your men got their oars without deposits? Witness: One of our men did. . Are not most of your drivers former Gold Band drivers?— Quite a lot of them are and we are proud to have Can you give any indication of how they financed their cars?—l do not know their private affairs. -But you said ope man got his car without a deposit?— And one swallow does not make - a sunper.

Membership of Organisation Witness replied that there were igß, licehseß in the city. Of these the Blue Star Association held 54, Rink 25. and Gold Band 53, the remainder being privately held. If the work increased and the opportunities arose, his association would be Only too pleased to extend its membership. His association’s telephones were on Private property, as in the past the City Council had refused to allow them to be erected on public property. The cotmcll had recently offered to allow the association certain facilities which he presumed included the erection, of .telephones on roadway posts. . «fj have heard your members refuse to go to. the suburban stands when told of »• vacancy pn a suburban stand.” Mr to 'witness. ‘The boys have then said that those meh would be put qn the mat.” to W. B. Sanders, an owner-driver of White Star Taxis, which co-operated with Newmah Bros., asked witness if he was in favour of meters being placed in every taXt. . , In his reply, witness said he was satisfied with the present system. was cross-examined by. to ji A. nboiit the suburban stands r opferated by his organisation. The chairman; What ybu have done in regard to the provision of suburban stands is open for any tton of tajti-drivers or individual taxidrivers to do? —Yes. - ... The chairman said to Mr that, Whether he agreed with the system «f suburban; stands or not, theJfcct remained that the Blue Star organisation was not privileged in this respect

Evidence of Partiality Speaking as an bwner-drxver. a member of the Blue Star organisation and an experienced taxi-man,”” asked to Lhscelies,; “have you ever seen-any-evidence .of partiality by the City Council to any particular concern?” ‘T am on my oath, and I say I never hWe/ iWitimss* . ~ Have "tivfef i»pmbers of your organisation been prosecuted for offences the same as other people in the taxi business? —YfeS. ' . ■ Do ybti think that , the present system of dab mileage is a fair and proper XX’Sit'S? to tS DUblic driver in g'Vi'JS a frirrrtum?— Yes. We certainly “SI Sr STTt a lower . rto:g|, *=■ cause costs are gomg_ and ii y put the fares up anyJtafher, the -axis Kaywara, 'who suggested - it w^ w gda mile lor dead-mUermning.

While you were carrying papers there was no complaint by the City Council, was there?— Not that I know °*’“And it was only when. Gold Band beat Blue Star for part of the business that the council took sides and complained” to Trillo remarked. You would like to see Gold Band run off the road?—l have tried to run you Off; Are there enough stand* l ?—Yes, 11. You will see plenty in the highways aD 4o/U not commit yourself and get offside with the council?—l do not crawl to anyone. If I had an opinion to give against the council I would give if. Offer Not Accepted Mr Trillo referred to two meetings of owner-drivers and suggested that

those meetings were responsible for the increased fares. "No,” said witness. “The meetings Were not responsible. I will give you the history of it.” The chairman: No, you won t. Mr R. Parians, secretary of the Taxi Drivers’ Union, asked witness if he was aware that drivers on wages Should be paid # 4 12s 6d > under the Finance Act, 1036. Witness said he was not aware of it, and he added that at present the owners could hot afford to pay those Wages. , ' Then you think the fares are too low?—No, there are too many taxis. To the chairman, Finch said the number of licenses should be restricted by the cancellation of each license as the holder went out of business. The basis on which he would determine the number of licenses was ohe to 1200 or 1500 Of population. "Have you a scale of fines for under-charging and over-charging," asked L. Pox, a Gold Bartd driver, "We have,” replied Finch. "The men musi; be disciplined.” In other words, you hold your own court?— Yes, to a certain extent. To the chairman, witness admitted that the drivers did not always know the penalty. The Chairman: Is there any provision fof appeal? „ n Finch: Yes. The signatures of 10 members are enough to call a general meeting. Agreement Sought The committee adjourned at this stage, and, upon resuming, the chairman announced that during the adjournment it had met Messrs Lascelles and Macintosh, as representing the City Council, and representatives of the Rink. Gold Band, and Blue Star organisations, the private ownerdrivers, the union, and Mr E. T. Bailey, of the Department of Labour. After disclissing matters placed before the committee in evidence, the conference Had unanimously agreed to attempt to bring down a working agreement among thelhselves, and to operate on a wages basis. The questions of licenses and Stands would also be discussed by thfe meeting. The chairman said that at the request of trie commission, Mr A. C. Dendle had represented the private owner-drivers at the conference. In order, however, to secure an official representative of the owner-drivers at the forthcoming round-the-table conference, arrangements had been made for all drivers interested to meet that evening at. 7.30 o’clock. The conference between all the taxi interests would take place at 10.30 a.rh. on Friday. The committee trusted that, as an outcome /of the conference, some basis would be arrived at to overcome the present state of affairs, pending the recommendations of the cornmission to the Government Mr Butler said that the commission desired to thank those who had attended the conference, particularly Mr C. S. Trillo, of the Gold Band service, fop his unreserved assurance that his drivers would immediately go on the wages basis. On behalf of the City Council, Messrs Lascelles and Macing tosh had announced that that body would, to the best of its ability, act on the recommendations of the com ference, which the Committee hoped would form the basis of ah arrange? men\to remain in operation until its (the 'committee’s) own basis was evolved. Mr Lascelles agreed to act as chairman of the conference. Mr Saunders asked that the question of the prevention erf the bilking of, taxi fares be considered. In Christchurch to-day the drivers’ only recourse, in paseS of refusal to pay fares; was through civil proceedings. He considered the Government should! make it compulsory on the part of the police to arrest a man failing to pay his fare. r .

. In noting Mr Saunders’s representstions, the chairman said that he had heard of cases in some cities where persons'had been prosecuted by the police for obtaining such credit by fraud* * ■