TAXI-DRIVERS' CHARGES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 158, 23 March 1918, Page 8

TAXI-DRIVERS' CHARGES

MILEAGE AND TIME BATES. 'A-case of considerable interest to those who hire taxi-cars for occasional drives came before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yes-, terday morning, when A. M. Proctor, taxi-ariver, proceeded against F. H. B. .'Ashwin, wholesale jeweller, Auckland, for whom Mr. J. J. M'Grath appeared, to recover 375. 6d., in respect to the hire of a taxi-cab to Day s Bay and back, the amount being the difference between tlie mileage rate (£3 10s. 6d.) and the hire rate by time (£1 135.). The point in- dispute was whether the plaintiff was engaged by time hire or mileage hire. The hire rate by time is 15s. per hour or part thereof, and 3s. for every subsequent quarter- hour <jr part thereof. Trie mileage rate is Is. per mile per passenger,_ plus 6d. per five minutes waiting time. The plaintiff maintained that he was engaged on a mileage rate while the defendant alleged that he engaged tho plaintiff on the time rate. The plaintiff in cross-examination stated that the time showed that be was engaged at the mileage Tate. Mr. M'Grath: How do you make that out?

Plaintiff: If the engagement was on the time rate I would have taken longer to make up the amount. We all do that.

The Magistrate decided that plaintiff had failed to provo his case and gave judgment for defendant. The Magistrate held that 335. was a fair remuneration for the time occupied in the journey.