AUCKLAND TAXIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25173, 13 March 1943, Page 4

AUCKLAND TAXIS

CATERING FOR SLY-GROG TRADE WARNING BY MINISTER (F.0.P.R.) WELLINGTON, Mar. 12. “It is noticeable that citizens hav* extreme difficulty in engaging taxis, while joy-riders and sly-grog sellers seem to be able to get all they require,” said the Minister of Transport, Mr J. O’Brien, when replying in the House of Representatives to-day to an urgent question asked by Mrs Stewart (Govt., Wellington West). She had asked the Minister if he had taken into consideration the .condition of a large number of the motor vehicles now in use in the Dominion, which were almost worn out, and inquired what steps were being taken to replace such trucks used in essential services. Mrs Stewart also asked the Minister to give consideration to improving the present road and taxi services. “Passengers by boat and train,” she said in a note to her question, “ say it is almost impossible to get a taxi to convey them and their luggage to the wharf or railway station, and at times people requiring medical attention, and even expectant mothers, cannot hire a taxi.” The Minister said lie was awar,e that the position of motor transport was tar from satisfactory. Not only was there a serious shortage of tyres and petrol, which made the existing services difficult to carry on, but the motor trucks in the majority of services had. been many years on the road. Some at) per cent, of the motor trucks . now being used had been over seveffiyears on the road, and 35 per cent, of-them had been nine years or even more m use. The majority of the passenger services, the Minister said, /were being maintained without serious inconvenience to the public, but the taxi services required a good deal of attention. In a recent check-up of taxis in ~nd 150 edrs were found to be Siting known sly-grog establishments. That was more than half the taxis now registered in Auckland. In order to <=ave petrol for the war effort children had to walk up to one mile and a-half to school in the rain, and sick people had to produce doctors’ certificates before they were allowed petrol. in addition, petrol was withheld from trie passenger services until they were cut to the minimum. . ' ; “If the owners of taxis who cater for sly-grog selling and joy-riding think they are going to get the petrol thus saved, they are making a very grave mistake,” the Minister concluded.