TAXI BUSINESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 71, 21 September 1936, Page 10

TAXI BUSINESS

INQUIRY OPENED

TO\IMPROVE THE SYSTEM

ORDER OF REFERENCE

A "national inquiry into the taxi-cab and carrying business for the purpose of securing better organisation, regulation, and «ontrol opened in the Arbitration) Ctjbirt, ■ Wellington, today. ■ The i Committee of Inquiry, which was set lipl under section 11 of the Transport" Licensing Act, consists of Mr. P. M. Butler (chairman) and Mr. J. Walker. The following is the order of reference given to the committee: — "To (make inquiries into the town carried and the taxi-cab systems in the Dominion, and with a view to improving their general efficiency to the public, promoting their co-ordination with other forms of transport and improving the wcfrking conditions of the persons engaged, to consider and report what measures, if any, should be adopted for their better organisation, regulation, and .control." "The transport matters referred to us for investigation concern, vitally, a considerable section of the community, and involve matters of social and economic moment, besides ; civic and national administration," stated the chairman.. "We are deeply sensitive of the responsibili^f reposed in.us, but we feel that this responsibility is not ours only, but is 'shared by all concerned in Ac matters affected by the order of the reference. FULLEST CO-OPEBATIQN ASKED. ' -'.'We,-,therefore, anticipate the fullest "co-operation md .'assistance from the operators, employees, local bodk.?, '.he Departments or? State, atfiected, and, indeed, all those interested, so that essential facts may be brought forward during,the course of. the inquiry to enable us to arrive at. a conclusion icr the purpose of making recommenaations for the general improvement ot the- services affected. Statements on any matter affected by the inquiry will be accepted from interested parties, who may produce evidence in support of such statements. . . , "Evidence will be sworn, and will be 6ubjct to'cfoss-examinatioin by any of the other; parties affected Iby the statements or evidence. "It is the desire of the committee that the inquiry should be. prosecuted and completed within the shortest possible period: without curtailing the rights of any person affected. We will, therefore, appreciate the fullest cooperation, to this end." j OPERATING COSBS. The first witness was Albert Morey, of the Black and White Cab Company, ■who said, that the cost of operating a cab in his company was a little under 5d a mile. The average takiings of a taxi were about 6d a milq, and it meant that a driver had to travel many miles a week to earn a satisfactory •wage. If the amount was Increased to 7d or Bd^a mile the owner of the cab would be able to pay his driver a weekly wage of £4 ss. , He. suggested the position could De improved by the issue of special licences for race days and on similar occasions. There had been a pnoposal for the amalgamation of the Blaak and White, Grey,-and Green Cabs, but it had fallen, through. The idea had" been for a cooperative company which ■would have reduced running expenses by 25 per; cent. A% the present time in one area there were five telephones in use, where one would do for a single large company. i When there was a large influx of visitors to the city the taxis had a chance to make extra money, but tlaat had been'removed by the Transport Department fefusing licences. As1, a result the buses had benefited. The witness submitted figures showing the administration expenses of a suggested company controlling 100 or more cabs. If such a company was formed he said, the levy could be reduced from 35s to 20s per week. Also there would be a saving of 2d per gallon on petrol, 2s per gallon on oil, and 25 per cent, oh tyres. The witness explained that cab owners paid a levy to the company concerned for the privilege of using the company's name, telephones, etc. ' "SCRATCHING FOR A LIVING." The Black and White Cab Company, he,said, started off with a capital of £100,000, and it practically went out of business with a loss of £60,000. This . showed that the business was uneconomical. There were no capitalists in the taxi business today; the men who owned the cars were scratching for a liying. The position would be relieved if the present fare of Is for the first mile and 6d for; "each additional half-mile ■was .increased to Is for the first halfmile and 6d for each additional half--mile, (for one or four passengers). To Mr. A. Par lane, representing the Wellington Drivers' Union, the witness said that at the present time the drivers worked, twelve hours a days, including two hours for meals. He agreed that as a result »of; keen competition men were required to be on the stands at the railway station and the wharves many hours before the arrival of a train or boat in order to get a suitable stand. COMPETITION BY BUSES. James L. Hagan, taxi proprietor, who operates under the Green Cab banner, said he considered, that no more taxi licences.should be issued by the City Council until such time as the population of Wellington warranted this being done.: Also, sufficient stands should be provided by the council to accommodate all drivers. The witness suggested that all cabs should be of the same colour, and that some of the buses should not be diverted from their routes. On some occasions, he said, buses ' were competing with the taxis at railway ■■': stations, wharves, etc. Tares should be increased to enable the drivers to be paid a weekly wage. The taxi business today was "fair game" for retired civil servants, tramway employees, and others. These men were .drawing superannuation, and were taking away work from the taxi proprietors, who relied solely on the business for their living. He thought that" a co-operative concern would result, in the ideal system. The individual taxi" proprietor had no chance of competing against the companies. - The witness agreed with Mr. M. H. Watterson, who represented several companies, that in the event of one controlling organisation for all taxis, existing companies would have to be compensated. He was of the opinion that the compulsory insurance premium of £6 for third party risk should be reduced. Cases where passengers in a taxi had been injured and instituted a claim against the Insurance company concerned were rare, and, therefore, the insurance companies were having a good time at the expense of the taxi proprietors. Cross-examined, the v/itness said that on race days particularly buses were given preferential treatment. To another questioner, the witness said that the experience of taxi drivers under the' City Council had not been a- particularly happy one. The council had, definitely given preferential treatment to companies. By working 16 or 17 hours a day a driver would

be lucky to malqe £4 or £4 10s a week. The opinion that the present taxi fare was inadequate was also expressed by James T. Nixon, a private driver. He considered that it should be Is 6d at the fla-g pull and 6d for every additional half-mile. It was impossible to operate a seven-seater car on the present fares). '.Proceeding.)