CARRYING TRADE INQUIRY

Evening Star, Issue 22459, 2 October 1936, Page 14

CARRYING TRADE INQUIRY

UNFAIR RAILWAY COMPETITION [Per United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, October 1. The Taxi Carrier Inquiry Committee heard further evidence to-day. Allegations of unfair competition by the railways were made ”by a representative of the Master Carriers’ Association. The association also asked that all carriers licensed in the city should be compelled to charge the rates adopted by its members. Mr T. J. S. Young, manager of the New Zealand Express Company, Christchurch, gave the committee a list of the rates observed by members of the association, these being based on the assumption that a 44-hour week would be made valid. If the week’s work were reduced to 40 hours the rates would probably have to be increased. There were several owner-drivers outside the association who were not bound by its rates, hence the association would like its rates made binding on all carriers. These rates showed very little advance on those adopted in 1924. The public had been treated very reasonably. Witness described as unfair competition the action of the Railway Department in undertaking certain work previously carried out by private carriers. The delivery of railway parcels was at one time let by tender to carriers, but on the last occasion when tenders were called the Post and Telegraph Department secured the job. Another matter which hit the carriers hard was the practice of the raihvays in undertaking furniture packing and the removal and free collection of parcels destined to be carried by the railways.