TAXI-DRIVER IN TROUBLE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9902, 22 February 1918, Page 9

TAXI-DRIVER IN TROUBLE

IRRESPONSIBLE OR. GROSSLY VICTIMISED ? Taxi-drivers have been rather troublesome to the by-laws committee, of tho Oity Council of late. At a rocent meeting of the committee, members had before them a licensed taxicab driver, who. was called upon to show cause why his license should not be cancelled fox* driving at a speed dangerous to the public, also’ for forwarding bogus messages to other taxi-cab drivers, and generally on account of irresponsible demeanour. The committee has recommended to the council that his license be cancelled. The taxidriver in question, who is a Maori, waited on tho City Council at its meeting last night, and was represented by Mr E. M. Beechey. In reply to a question by Mr Beeehey, tho Acting-Mayor (Councillor Barber) said the sending of bogus messages meant that the offending taxi-driver had given false messages on the ’phono to other drivers, sending them on a “wild goose chase,” and so gaining their places on the stand. Mr Beechey denied this and other allegations, and called the driver to give evidence. Councillor Fitzgerald said a case had been worked up against the driver by three or four men who had a grudge against him. It was the grossest piece of victimisation he had ever known. He knew the man to be a steady and conscientious driver. The council’s motor inspector stated that from the evidence he had gathered tho man was an irresponsible driver. Councillor Barber said that n was evident that the native blood of tho driver asserted itself whenever he drove, a car, making him totally irresponsible in regard to speed. Eventually, after a very lengthy discussion, it was decided to suspend the driver’s license until March 31st.