TAXI OWNERS' GRIEVANCES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 244, 9 July 1920, Page 10

TAXI OWNERS' GRIEVANCES

PUT BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.

Alleged grievances of the Taxi Oar Owners' Association were laid before the City Council last night by a deputation headed by Mr. G. A. Waddle. Mr. Waddle protested against the granting' of a private stand in Willis Street. Very few cars were on that stand, he said, and it was unfair that some six men should have a monopoly of the work that came from the hotels in Willis Street. There was dissatisfaction with the rule forbidding a man to leave his car for more thnn ten minutes at a time. The rule meant that a man could not go away long enough for n meal without removing his car; and possibly, by meal-time he had waited some three hours' for employment. Members of the association wished to be per mitted to use the telephones on tho fitaud for making as well as receiving calls. At present only the receiving of calls was allowed.

Councillor Luc'kie (chairman of the By-laws Committee) said that though perhaps the association had not yet been officially notified of the fact, the council had decided to extend the time of absence for meals to halfan-hour. Moreover, no proceedings had ever been taken against a man for l>oing away from his .ear for more than ten minutes when it "was a question of getting a meal. Foi the regulations relating to the use of tho telephone, the council was not responsible. From the timo at which telephones were, first.put on the stands, (he council had been receiving from tho controlling authorities (the PoH and Telegraph Department) repeated complaints that the instruments had been misused and damaged. The granting of private, stands was experimental, and would be one of the subjects of a report that the council-had yet to receive.

The Mayor assured the deputation that its representations would receive due consideration.