TAXI DISPUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 33, 9 February 1939, Page 14

TAXI DISPUTE

UNIFORM CONTROL

REQUEST TO MINISTER

NEW LEGISLATION

Following the suggestions made at the hearing of the Dominion taxidrivers' dispute yesterday, members of the Conciliation Council today met the Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) to ask him to put into operation legislation giving uniform control to the taxi industry as soon as it was passed. Mr. Semple had formerly intimated that the legislation was ready and would be dealt with early in the next session, but would not take effect until May, 1940. .

When the members returned to the council meeting the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. M. J. Reardon) gave an account of the deputation. When they had arrived, he said, the Minister had told them that they were asking for something he could do but would not do. He said he had power to take control of the business, but was not prepared to do that. There was another way and that was by legislation.

The Minister had apparently been under a misapprehension, it was explained, and had thought they, wanted him to take control of the industry immediately. What they wanted was for the legislation to come into effect as soon after it was passed as possible instead of waiting till next year.' Mr. Semple had said that taxi licences would be granted in June and as the legislation would not be down before then it would be impossible for new regulations to come into effect until 1940. He wanted the parties,to come to terms about an award. LICENSING PROBLEM. It was suggested that a moderate award might be made. The Prime Minister had promised Mr. Sempie that the legislation would be one of the first pieces heard and when it came before the House local bodies would have an opportunity of giving their views on it. Mr. Semple could not see at present how he would get over the problem of the licenses being issued by the local bodies in June. He did not intend to chprge them again for licences under the new legislation. Explaining this, Mr. H. J. Knight said that all the local bodies would have issued their licences by next June. The employers' suggestion was that, the licence fee under the new lav/ being £3, the drivers should pay their local body licence and then pay the difference to the national controlling body if the legislation was put into effect before next year. This would mean that the legislation could be put into effect as soon as possible a^nd no one would lose by it.

Mr. Reardon said that if they were prepared to go on with the case how it would have to be on a moderate rate of wages. The alternative was that they should let the.matter stand until the legislation came down. Mr. Knight iiad been very emphatic yesterday that the employers were not prepared to consider an award. Mr. Knight said he would not say that, but unless the industry was covered ib was of little use. AWARD WANTED. Mr. F. C. Allerby, agent for the workers, said that the men wanted an j award, and if the employers would not negotiate they would take it to the Court. The men had been waiting for two years and were "fed up." Mr. H. Bishop, agent for the employers, said they did not mind'negotiating then, but they would be able to co-operate more if the whole of the i industry was included. The question was, said Mr. Knight, would they be prepared to go on under an award which would be unsatisfactory or wait until Parliament sat and get something comprehensive? He was not saying, "Take it or leave it," but! merely putting it in a cold-blooded sort of way. Mr. Allerby said they wanted the employers' co-operation. The taxidrivers were working under intolerable conditions and the break was coming. He did not want the employers to think that they were going to throw an award on to them, but they were going to give the industry a lead. It was no use for them to sit down and say the legislation was coming. They had a duty to the Minister and should show him that they coiild do something for themselves. It was decided to adjourn the hearing until this afternoon to give both parties time to consider the claims and "counter-claims. Mr. Bishop said that whatever they finally agreed on would have to be! based more on the counter-propdsals | than on the claims. j