TAXIS AND TOURISTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 February 1939, Page 7

TAXIS AND TOURISTS

AUCKLAND BOYCOTT PEACE CONFERENCE SUCCEEDS [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, February 3. Because of a disagreement over the handling of passengers landing from the Orient liner Oronsay, at the western wharf, this morning, about 70 taxi drivers who were waiting for fares left the wharf in a body. They refused to accept any business from the ship to the city. A boycott of all of the passenger ships arriving at the port was threatened by the men if a number of alleged grievances, involving the Transport and the Tourist Departments and the Auckland Harbour Board, were not removed. The entire dispute, however, was setled amicably in the afternoon as the result of conferences with representatives of the bodies concerned.

The Oronsay berthed shortly after 8 o’clock, but for a considerable period beforehand, taxis began to assemble, until there was a long line of cars stretching the full length of the roadway that runs parallel with the wharf. On the wharf, at the ship’s berth, there were about 15 parlour coaches waiting to take cruise passengers on overland tours that had been arranged by the Government Tourist Department. Three sightseeing buses, owned by a private company were also on the wharf.

The cruise passengers, who are not required to pass through the Customs, began to embark at 9.5 a.m. and the taxi drivers maintained that they should then have been admitted to the wharf to cater for any tourists who were not leaving on cruise trips, but who desired local transport. They were unable to gain admittance. They were particularly grieved at the fact that private sightseeing buses, doing similar local trips, were able to fill up with passengers. After about 20 minutes, the men held an informal meeting at which they decided to boycott the ship. All of them then drove away pickets being placed on the road to prevent other drivers handling any traffic from the wharf. A general meeting of drivers of two major companies and of private operators was held in the Druids’ Hall shortly after noon, when it was resolved that all passenger ships visiting the port would be boycotted until the drivers’ grievances about the handling of passengers were settled. In the meantime, a number of tour-, ists were unable to secure any transport. They had set off on a mile walk to the city. Their total was swelled considerably when the Auckland section, of about 140 through passengers, from London, passed through the Customs at 10 o’clock. Being unaware of the position, many passengers were strongly critical at the arrangements made for handling travellers at the port. Their feelings were not improved when, walking along the western viaduct, they had to pass motor .lorries unloading decayed fish into a refuse vessel.

Conferences held in the afternoon between a deputation appointed at the taxi drivers’ meeting and the authorities involved were successful in eliminating the men’s grievances. The deputation first met the No. 1 Transport Licensing Authority, Mr. E. J. Phelan. The District Manager of the Tourist Department, Mr. J. W. Clarke was also present. A meeting was later held with the Superintendent of the Auckland Harbour Board, Mr. D. Holderness, and the Board’s Traffic Manager, Mr. W. R. Golden.

As the result of the conference, the taxi drivers will be given every facility towards obtaining passengers for trips within the scope of their licenses as soon as passengers have been passed by the Health and Customs authorities. Following the conferences the representatives of the taxi drivers expressed appreciation at the manner in which they had been received.