TAXI INQUIRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22543, 7 October 1936, Page 18

TAXI INQUIRY

EVIDENCE IN DUNEDIN CONDITIONS OF DRIVERS TOO MANY VEHICLES PLYING REGULATION ADVOCATED [BT TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION] DUNEDIN, Tuesday An indication that a great volume of evidence is likely to be presented was given when the committee of inquiry appointed by the Government to inquire into taxi and town carrying services began its Duncdin sittings today. Tie first witness was H. J. Hastie. manager of Gold Band Taxis, who denied a published report that no taxi company had ever closed its doors in Dunedin owing to financial difficulties. He gave the names of three companies which, he said, had gone bankrupt and had been absorbed by his company. / In reply to the chairman witness said his drivers were employed on commission under a purely verbal agreement. Dealing with taxi services in general, he said that last June there were 120 taxis in Dunedin. In 1926 there were only three companies in the city and they were paying their drivers £4 12s 6d a week for 60 and 70 hours' work in alternate weeks. Fares then were 33 1-3 per cent higher than today. Cutting of Fares The year 1931 was a critical one in the taxi business in Dunedin, witness added. At this stage four drivers started to operate on fares that were cut by up to 40 per cent and for the first time the paying of drivers on commission was introduced. The effect was that all other drivers had to . follow suit. The average wages of his company's drivers were £4 6s lOd a week. Except at .Christmas and Easter the hours were not excessive. If specified wages and limited hours were introduced, said witness, it would bp necessary to employ twice the present number of drivers and the companies could not exist under the present charges. The position now was that there were 14 companies in Dunedin and his company, which was the pioneer, was stifled in all directions. He found that country trips were being quoted at 4d a mile, or less. An endeavour was made to induce the City Council to fix fares, but the operators were told that they must reach a unanimous decision. The City Council competed with the taxis. It was running buses from dances and to various points in the city lato on Saturday night. The council was a competitor, and yet it was the body which made the rules ot the game. Witnnss' Recommendations

Witness estimated that there were 140 taxi-drivers in Dunedin. The earnings of his company's employees were 25 per cent of their total takings. If the present drivers in Dunedin were each to eai'n £5 a week it would be necessary fur the people of tho_ city to- spend 45,000 a year on taxis. ' Witness was strongly in favour of the limitation of the number of- taxis on a population basis. He said his companv favoured the regulation of drivers hours of work—including owner-drivers —a compulsory standard _ of wages, regulation or standardisation of fare 3 and' standard requirements as to fitness of drivers and vehicles. He considered that in Dunedin 70 taxis could coDe with' all the work. , John Webzel, a Blue Star driver, who formerly drove for the Gold Band companv. said he had worked on occasions riajit through the week-end with time o# only for meals. weekly hour* with the Gold Band com pany would be about 100. The highest wage he ha 3 ever made in one week was £l3. He was unable to say how manv hours a driver could work before the point of fatigue was reached. Replies to Questions ' Mr. Hasti3: Was it our. policy to compel you to work long hours. /Witness: We were not compelled, but we were expected to. In replv to a further question, witness recalled an occasion when Hastie refused a hire because witness was "dead beat." Witness said lie was in a worse physical condition than befoie he started driving. His wages would very rarely be below £3. «t.-j Evidence on behalf of the White Star Taxis, Gold Star Taxis, Limited, and Citv Taxis, Limited, was given by J. Moffitt, who said the three companies were more or less under one control. It was recognised, he said, that the present methods of operating taxis were responsible for shocking working conditions in many quarters. The companies which he represented were anxious to have conditions improved. This could only be brought about by regulation and control by a public authority. Oosts oi Operation Witness quoted figures on which he estimated operating costs at 7Jd a mile. He expressed the opinion that the following factors were essential for the stabilisation of the business:—Compulsory and universal use of taxi meters; standardisation and fixation of tares, with an increase on rates; limitation of cabs within' the city to one tor each 1000 of population; regulation oi ■working hours to 55 a week; fixation of wages at £4 5s a week; and provision for the proper and adequate inspection of operators as regards adhering to regulations. . /A. G. Hunt, a partner in Roslyn Taxis, said his company worked on a wage basis. He submitted a copv or a letter which he had sent to the Minister of Transport alleging that driveis were working over 100 hours a week and that they were lucky if they earned £5 a week, fie suggested the use ot meters to avoid the cutting of faics and proposed that the Government might assist the companies in meeting the cost. He submitted proposals in respect of wages and conditions and said his company worked out all costs at 7id a mile and earnings at BJd. He suggested that there should be some form of national control over taxis' services. either Governmental or by a board. The hearing was adjourned.