TAXI BUSINESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 96, 20 October 1936, Page 10

TAXI BUSINESS

WORK OF COMMITTEE

MINISTER'S STATEMENT

GOOD PROGRESS MADE

The investigation by the Committee Iset.up by the Government into the taxicab and carrying businesses in New Zealand has resulted in full evidence being tendered on all aspects of the question, from local body representatives.. State Departments, and operators and employees engaged in the industries, stated the Hon. R. Semple (Minister of Transport) today.

The Committee, according to the chairman (Mr. P. M. Butler), said the Minister, was particularly pleased with the evidence submitted, and the indications were that all concerned realised the necessity for an overhaul and reformation of the services and were cooperating with the Committee in an effort to probe every aspect affecting the services with the object of arriving at a solution of the many problems associated with them.

In addition to the public hearings of evidence relative to matters contained in the order of reference of the Committee, questionnaires had been drawn up for submission to operators and employees. These had been distributed, and were being returned in a very complete manner. It was emphasised that the questionnaires were not drawn up as a test of any particular unit or organisation, but that the information contained in them would be analysed to, give an indication of the national importance and aspects of the services. Mr. Semple thanked those who had already sent in returns, which were very helpful to the Committee.

The Minister said he was pleased to note from Press references that during the Committee's sojourn in the South Island it had suggested meetings of interested parties which, up to then, had been at variance -with each other. Such meetings had been held at Christchurch, - Dunedin, and Invercargill. At these meetings tentative arrangements had been made to meet the immediate pressing problems in those centres, and in each case unanimous decisions had been arrived at dealing with these immediate problems until the; Committee's report 'was completed. ■ These conferences had done much good, and had resulted in a minimum wage being adopted in.each centre where the commission system had been causing chaos.

"The Committee is proceeding as quickly as it possibly can with its investigations," the Minister added, "and it hopes to complete its report at an early date."