PROTECTING TAXI-MEN

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 271, 11 August 1943, Page 6

PROTECTING TAXI-MEN

Law And Order Authorities Confer STATEMENT BY MINISTER A conference of those concerned in the peaceful and! effective running ot taxi-cabs in Wellington was called yesterday by the Minister of Transport, Mr. O'Brien, who announced last night that he had done this following the appearance of an article in yesterday’s “Dominion” reporting that, as a result of assaults and robberies, drivers were taking action for protection. The conference was attended by Mr. D; J. Cummings, Commissioner of Police, Superintendent Lopdell, of the Wellington police force; Major Samuelson, representing the U.S.M.C. provosts;. Mr. Macalister, chairman of the Wellington Taxi Control Committee; Mr. Leek, The Wellington Taxi Company, Mr. Angel, the Black and White Company; Mr. Campbell, secretary of the Wellington Taxi-cab Control Committee; and Mr. Laurenson, Commissioner of Transport. The conference went thoroughly into the drivers’ allegations reported m the article in “The Dominion,” and after considerable discussion was of the opinion that some of the statements made were exaggerated, but that there was sufficient evidence showing that taximen had been assaulted, and cabs damaged to warrant steps being taken to protect drivers and their cabs from attack or damage. To this end, the cor. ference agreed that taxi stands would be patrolled by a detachment of U.S. Marine Corps provosts, a number of traffic inspectors, and the police, during rush periods, with a view of preventing any unseemly interference with taxi-men or' their cabs. It was expected, Mr. O’Brien added, that these precautions would have the effect of controlling the unruly element among the servicemen, which, when all was said 'and done, was a very small minority of the visiting servicemen, the great majority of whom had shown they could deport themselves as gentlemen, and were welcome guests to the best homes in the Dominion. The conference considered that if the taximen and the general public would cooperate with the Marine provosts, the traffic inspectors and the police by reporting any undue interference with taximen and their cabs to provosts, inspectors or the police, further offences would be rapidly dealt with.

AUCKLAND' CASES

Damage To Telephones • (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, August 10. While the position in Auckland does not appear to be as serious as in Wellington, there have been several reports recently to Auckland taxi services regarding attacks on drivers. In only one of these was the driver hurt. Most of the cases have occurred when drivers have been unable to accept orders from certain servicemen. There has been no reluctance on the part of drivers to undertake night duty through fear of attack. The managers of Auckland taxi services, Messrs. A. J. Sinclair and F. I. Drumm, stated that as a result of oue attack the driver’s arm was injured and he had to be sent to hospital. He resisted two visiting servicemen who attempted to take his car. In another recent case two visiting servicemen smashed all the windows in a taxi and destroyed the door handles. All leather upholstery in another car was slashed with a razor. Practically all the disturbances occurred fairly late at night. The managers of the service are seriously perturbed at the damage being done to its telephones. They’ state this has been considerable in recent weeks. Instruments have been broken and in a number of cases receivers have been torn off.