INQUIRY OPENS

Southland Times, Issue 23001, 22 September 1936, Page 8

INQUIRY OPENS

TAXI AND CARRYING SYSTEMS GREATER EFFICIENCY SOUGHT OPERATING PROBLEMS (United Press Association.) Wellington, September 21. A national inquiry into the taxi and carrying systems for the purpose of securing better organization, regulation and control was opened to-day. The committee consists of Messrs P. M. Buller (chairman) and J. Walker. The order of reference is: ”To make inquiries into the town carrying business and taxicab systems in the Dominion, and, with a view to improving their general efficiency to the public, promoting their co-ordination with other forms of transport and improving the working conditions of the persons engaged, to consider and report what measures, if any, should be adopted for their better organization, regulation and control.”

The chairman said that they anticipated the fullest co-operation and assistance from the operators, employees, local bodies and Departments of State affected, and, indeed, all those interested. so that essential facts might be brought forward to enable them to arrive at a conclusion for the purpose of making recommendations for a general improvement of the services affected. Special Licences. The first witness was Albert Morey, of the Black and White Taxi Company, who said that the cost of operating a cab to his company was a little under 5d a mile. If the fare were increased to 7d or 8d a mile the owner might be able to pay a driver a weekly wage of £4 5/-. He suggested that the position could be improved by the issue of special licences for race days and similar occasions. He mentioned that a proposal to amalgamate with another company had fallen through and said that it would have reduced expenses by 25 per cent. He gave figures to show the savings that would be got from a company controlling 100 cabs or more. There were no capitalists in the taxi business to-day. The men who owned the cars were scratching for a living. The position would be relieved if higher fares were fixed. As the result of keen competition the men were required to be on the stands at the railway station and the wharves many hours before the arrival of a train or boat to get a suitable stand. James L. Hagen, a taxi-proprietor, said that buses were competing with taxis, and fares should be increased to enable drivers to be paid a weekly wage. The business to-day was .“fair game” for retired Civil Servants and tramway employees, who also drew superannuation. He thought that a cooperative concern would result in an ideal system. The individual taxi proprietor had no chance against the companies. He was of the opinion that the compulsory insurance premium of £6 for the third party risk should be reduced. The insurance companies, he said, were having a good time at the expense of the taxi proprietors, as claims for accident compensation were rare. The experience of taxi drivers under the City Council had not been a happy one. The council had given preferential treatment to companies. Evidence was given by Cyril Bartlett, a commission driver in the Grey Cabs Company, that he had worked for a long time at an average of 92 hours a week, spread over 14 hours a day. His earnings averaged £3 5/- a week. The Black and White Cabs were not responsible for the original cutting of fares. This was instituted by the Gold Band Taxis, this firm later being taken over by the Grey Cabs, which had come to Wellington from Auckland, in retaliation to the Black and White Cabs’ invasion of the Auckland field. The Black and White Cabs could have scooped the pool in Wellington, but for the stupidity of some of its directors, who knew nothing of the taxi business. Co-operative Concern. Witness proposed a scheme for the formation of a company or co-opera-tive concern, which would take over all the cars now operated by ownerdrivers. The company would issue scrip to each owner to the value of his car. In the event of money being owed to a motor firm, the company would pay it. This would take the financial burden off the shoulders of the men. There would be no levy on the men, who would be paid fair wages for reasonable hours. Any man dismissed would receive his shares back. No scrip would be issued to the public. No driver would be responsible for anything but the takings of his car. The scheme would make for efficiency and economy. It would be a monopoly, but would be regulated by the Transport Department. ■ George Edward Higgins, chairman of the executive of Diamond Cabs, said that the fares now fixed by the Wellington City Council were fair to both the taxis and the public. Patrick L. Fitzgerald, the manager of a small company, Yellow Cabs, agreed than an extra 6d should be charged for the first mile. The inquiry will be continued tomorrow.