TAXIS AND JOY RIDES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 60, 13 March 1943, Page 3

TAXIS AND JOY RIDES

AUCKLAND CHECK-UP QUOTEI (P.A.) Wellington, March 12 The statement that the majority o passenger services were being main tained without serious inconvenience but that much attention would be re, quired regarding taxi services wa: made by the Minister of Transport Hon. J. O’Brien, replying to an urgenl question by Mrs. C. C. S. Stewart. Mrs. Stewart urged an improvemen' in the present road and taxi services The Minister said that in a recenl check-up in Auckland 150 taxis were found to be visiting known sly-grog establishments. That was more thar half the taxis registered in Auckland It was noticeable that citizens had extreme difficulty in engaging taxis while joy-riders and sly-groggers seemed to be able to get all they required. To save petrol, said the Minister, school children were forced to walk long distances to school, and sick people had to produce doetpr’s certificate before petrol was granted to them. If taxiowners catering for sly-groggers and joy-riders thought they were going to get the petrol thus saved they were making a grave mistake. Mr. O'Brien added that about 5C per cent, of the motor trucks in use on the roads had been more than seven years on the roads and 35 per cent, had been in use for nine years or more. The Government was giving urgent attention to the matter of allowing the replacement of worn-out private trucks.