TAXI INQUIRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22532, 24 September 1936, Page 13

TAXI INQUIRY

PROTEST BY OWNEES STATEMENTS RESENTED PURCHASES OF LIQUOR FURTHER EVIDENCE HEARD . [BT TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON* Wednesday A protest against certain statements regarding the sale of whisky by taxi- .. drivers was made by Mr. Stobart on behalf of taxi owners at the national inquiry into the taxi and carrying busi* ness to-day. . Owners in Wellington dissociated themselves from the statement jmade by Mr. C. Bartlett, Mr. Stobart paid. They would not tolerate such business. Wellington taxi owners prided themselves on being straight and honest in their dealings, and he asked that their protest should be noted. The chairman, Mr. P. M. Butler, said there appeared to be some« misunderstanding. Mr. Bartlett's evidence was given on oath and there was an •' opportunity to cross-examine him. The committee's impression was that Mr. Bartlett wished to draw attention to the ; fact that, owing to the chaotic condi- * tions existing in the industry, men were forced sometijnes to undertake the jobs he mentioned. Two Sides o! Business The chairman added that he thought too much had been made of that side of the business. Mr. Bartlett merely described the legitimate and the illegitimate sides of the business. • '. Mr. Stobart also said that it was the opinion of many owners that a taxi owner should sit with the committee. The Chairman: That is a matter for the Government. ' During subsequent proceedings the chairman mentioned thatjthe committee y i proposed issuing a questionnaire con- t taining three points, one for consideration by the companies, one for owner- < drivers, and one for drivers on-com-mission. Office organisation as applied to cooperative groups was outlined by George Hijgins, a company driver. He expressed the opinion that company organisations were definitely opposed to amalgamation of taxi businesses. Commission Drivers' Hours Vernet > Mitchell, a commission driver with the Grey Cabs, gave evidence of conditions under which commission drivers worked. He said that in most cases there were two drivers to a car, who worked week about on day and night shift. The men on day shift worked 10 to 12 hours, white the night shift ■workers drove from 10 to 15 . hours. The average driver on commission earned £3 a week. If wages were ' to be improved, fares would have to go up. Amalgamation was the real! solution of the problem. Witness, on behalf of a group of commission drivers, dissociated himself from statements made by the wit- < " ness Bartlett on Monday, r . 1 The chairman: Can you ; say whether the type of business mentioned by Bartlett does exist? Witness: Certainly. As long as there are taxis and hotels it will, go on. Still, I know of no drivers who "sly-grog," that is, buy and sell liquor for profit. " William Thomas James Morrison,representing the Hutt and Petone Taxi Association, gave evidence that . > his association favoured a commission s basis of payment in preference to wages, which it was hoped would not be forced upon their organisation. If the men on 33 1-3 per cent conld not .. >• earn £4 10s a week plus tips, on com- ; mission, they should not drive. There ; was not the same incentive to work - for wages that there was under the , commission system. The men- were able to have what time off they desired, and could still earn the money mentioned. _ .