TAXI DRIVER EARNINGS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19128, 24 September 1936, Page 5

TAXI DRIVER EARNINGS

EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY

AMALGAMATION PROPOSAL

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day. The national inquiry into the taxi and carrying business for the purpose ot securing better organisation, regulation and control was continued yesterday afternoon.

Office organisation, as applied to cooperative groups was outlined by Mr. George Higgins, company driver. He expressed the opinion that the company organisations were definitely opposed to the amalgamation of taxi businesses.

Mr. Vernet Mitchell, commission driver with Grey Cabs, gave evidence of the conditions under which commission drivers worked. In most cases, ho said, there were two drivers to a car, and they worked week about on day and nigiht shift. The men on day shift worked 10 to 12 hours, while 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. The witness, on behalf of a group of commission drivers, dissociated himself from statements made by Mr. Bart let t on Monday concerning the conveyance of liquor. The chairman: Can yon say whether the type of business mentioned by Mr. Rartlett dors exist?

The witness: Certainly. So 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.

Mr. William Thomas James Morrison, representing the Hutf and Pelone Taxi Association, gave evidence that his association favoured the commission basis of payment, in preference, to wages, which, it was hoped, would not he forced upon their organisation. If men on 33 1-3 per cent could not earn £4 10s a week, plus tips, on commission, they should not drive. There was not the'same incentive to work under wages that there was under the commission system. The men were able to have what time off they desired, and could still earn the moneymentioned.