TAXI INQUIRY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20531, 24 September 1936, Page 11

TAXI INQUIRY

STATEMENT CHALLENGED By Telegraph —Press Association WELLINGTON, September 23. A protest against certain statements regarding the sale of whisky by taxidrivers was made by Mr Stobart, on behalf of taxi-owners at the taxi and carrying inquiry to-day. Owners in Wellington, he said, dissociated themselves from the statement by Mr Bartlett. They would not tolerate such business, said Mr Stobart. The Wellington taxi-owners prided themselves on being straight and honest in their dealings, and he asked that the protest should be noted. Tlie chairman said there appeared to be some misunderstanding. Mr Bartlett’s evidence was given on oath, and there was opportunity to cross-examine him. The committee's impression was that Mr Bartlett wished to draw attention to the fact that owing to the chaotic conditions existing in the indusry, men were forced sometimes to undertake the jobs he mentioned. The chairman said he thought too much had been made of that side of the business. Mr Bartlett merely described the legitimate and illegimate side of the business. Mr Stobart also said it was the opinion of many owners that a taxiowner should sit with the committee. ; The chairman: That is a matter.fori the Government. During the subsequent proceedings, the chairman mentioned that the committee proposed issuing questionaires containing three points: one for consideration by companies, one for owner- , drivers, and one for drivers on com- j mission.

Commission Drivers. Office organisation as applied to cooperative groups was outlined by George Higgins, company driver. He expressed tlie opinion tliat company organisations were definitely opposed to the amalgamation of taxi businesses. Vernet Mitchell, commission driver with Grey Cabs, gave evidence of the conditions under which commission drivers worked. In most cases there were two drivers to a car, who worked week about on day and night shift. Men on day shift worked 10 to 12 hours, while 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. Witness, on behalf of a group of commission drivers, dissociated himself from the statements made by Bartlett on Monday. The chairman: “Can you say whether the type of business mentioned by Bartlett does exist?” 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.” William Thomas James Morrison, representing the Hutt and Petone Taxi Association, gave evidence that InQ association favoured a commission basis of payment, in preference to wages, which, it was hoped, would not jbe forced upon their organisation. If men on 33 1-3 per cent could not earn I £4/10/- 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 de- ; sired, and could still earn the money j mentioned.