AUTOMOBILE FARES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1198, 5 August 1911, Page 4

AUTOMOBILE FARES.

WHAT THE CHAUFFEURS SAY. "Tho prices they charge aro extortionate!" said Councillor Robert Fletcher, in referring to .motor-car fares .charged in Wellington at the last meeting of tho City Coancil..'...Xliis statement is taken strenuous objection to by the chauffeurs of Wellington. "Our experience" (said ono of the chauffeurs to n Dominion reporter yesterday) "is that it is generally thoso people who do not uso the cars who aro under the impression tlmt charges aro high. As a matter of fact, they aro just as cheap as eabs, and, in some cases, a good deal cheaper." What do you charge? "Our chargo is a shilling per mile per • passenger all day and up till 10 o'clock at night—thai, is surely not extravagant or extortionate. Wo do not even stick to that cliargo. Supposing four pcoplo camo along now and wished to bo taken down the quay somewhere—a short journey, the chaijo would bo reduced to 2s. Or" 2s. Gd. for tho lot. For hill journeys a littlo more is charged, owing to the extra demand made on the car, and wear and tear is a serious item in the upkeep of a car." And after 10 o'clock? "After 10 it is usually a matter of arrangement—wo make a bargain with the passengers, but the -price is never out of tho way. We couldn't mako extortionate charges—it would kill tho busihesS at onco in a small placo like Wellington. Our charge is Is. a mile, as compared with Bd. in London (where each car has a taximetor), but out hero wo liaTO ( .o pay from 30s. to .£2 more for a tire; petrol is 8d per gallon in London, and it is retailed hero at Is. Gd; (the wholesale price is Is °d.). Then the ears themselves are more costly here than at Home, The cost of the cars on this stand ranee from X! 00 to .£750 If the City Council intends to frame a list of charges, 1 hopo tliny will hear what we have to say as to the cost of cars and the running cost, wages, o c„ beforo anything is definitely fixejl. We only ask a fair thing, and expcct the same from the council. . The above views were expressed in the hearing of half'-a-dozen chauffeurs on tho Featherston Street stand, oud were endorsed by all present.