INCREASED RATE OF PREMIUM

Southland Times, Issue 23782, 1 April 1939, Page 6

INCREASED RATE OF PREMIUM

TAXI PROPRIETORS MAY PROTEST

Although the increase of £2 10/- in the rates for, third party insurance premiums for " taxis was not unexpected in Invercargill, it is likely that a protest against the extra payment will be made by the Taxi Proprietors’ Association. The president of the association, Mr W. R. Ronald, said yesterday that he had been approached on the subject and there seemed to be a feeling among some of the proprietors that a protest should be made. “We should be given more protection for the money we have to pay in licences and fees,’ he said. “There-is too much pirating being done by persons who are not authorized to ply for hire.” , , A year ago the third party premium for taxis was £6. It was raised to £7 10/- and after May 31 would be £lO. Mr Ronald said that it would then cost a taxi proprietor £37 2/6 a year in premiums, licences and fees for each car he-put on the road. That amount was made up as follows:—

£37 2 6 The payment of those fees entitled him to ply from his stand only; if he proposed to take passengers to the races and to charge an individual fare he would first have to obtain a - permit, which cost another 2/-. Another proprietor said that the accident rate in Southland was low. He had been in the taxi business for 10 years and during that time had had only one third party claim.

£ s d Third party premium ' 10 0 0 Licence v 2 0 0 Number plates 2 0 City Council fee 2 0 0 Driver’s licence 5 0 Doctor’s certificate 10 6 Insurance 22 0 0 Warrant of fitness 5 0